More Than What Meets the Eye
by animefan106
Summary: War plagued the land for centuries on the soil of Europe and Asia. Viet and Lukas were commanders of this war and met as enemies. When the fateful moment came that they had been knocked down by a flaming bird from the heavens did the two warriors learn about each other and the true roots of why the war cam to be. It is not crack!
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I do not own the anime, characters, maybe settings and a lot of other stuff that may be mentioned._

_My first big fanfiction that is filled with action, romance and mystery. Hope you guys will like it!_

The winds blew from the sea and the slight scent of the ocean came to the Vietnamese girl sitting on the tree branch looking at the blue, glistening water that seemed so calm and rhythm-like. She closed her eyes remembering her childhood when her life was more cheerful and carefree. Years had passed from then and she had become a beauty among her people and family but fierce when she went out into battles with her brothers as they fought against the Westerners whose skin was whiter than the paper they had written on and who were savages to her people.

There was a wide variety of ethnic people from around Asia living within their village but that was fine. They had gotten well together and had many similar beliefs, especially against the white-skinned people. Unlike other Asian villages, she, her family and many of the citizens were pirates but had an alliance with all of Asia. Viet jumped down from the tree branch she once sat on with elegant yet strong movements. When she landed, another breeze from the ocean swept her red coat ever so gently. She walked back to the village figuring she was going to get a lecture from her only older brother, Yao.

"Ah! Viet-nee, you're back!" exclaimed a young girl with long brownish hair with flower clips clipped to her hair. She wore a pink Asian-like blouse and a white skirt that went past her knees. The girl hugged her older sister as if she had not seen her in years. "I thought you were captured by the white devils! Don't go away so long," whined the girl.

Viet smiled at the girl and patted the back of her head. "Honestly, do you really believe that I would get myself captured or even go out if I knew that the bandits are out there? Anyway, I have to go meet Yao, Kiku, Yong Soo and the other village leaders."

"Fine. Can I walk you over there then?"

"Of course Mei."

Viet and Mei walked down the busy streets of their village that was filled with carts, horses, people, and merchandise that was common around the area or all of Asia. The smell of steamed pork buns and other delicious foods came from several restaurants on the street that they were walking on. Houses and buildings towered above them decorated with many symbols and designs from all over Asia. The walls were made out of plaster and some of it was peeling but no one really mind because they were always happy with what they have and didn't find the need to fix their houses or shops unless it endangered their business or where they could live. Mei ran in front of Viet after several blocks of walking to an imperial-like building that drastically differed from the rest of the village. It was a bout one story tall but its tiled roof was clean and unbroken; pillars of red with gold designs of dragons and flowers held up the building and its wide structure made the campus look huge.

"We're here jie jie! Hopefully teacher (Yao) doesn't scold you too much for going outside of the village walls. Then again you always find a way to make a comeback so I guess it's okay, right?" Mei asked her older sister. Viet nodded then noticed that her little sister was running back into the busy village from the government facility that Viet stood in front of. Mei waved her hands one last time then disappeared among the busy crowd of the village streets.

Having felt the aura coming from the facility, Viet's face became serious sensing that something has happened either in Europe or Asia. She walked in a rhythmic beat and loud steps towards the room where she, her brothers, and the elders of the village had their meetings. She opened the door to find the people that were usually part of these meetings already seated at the long rectangular table.

"I apologize for being late. In any case, this meeting seems to be an important one. Please tell me what I have been missing." Viet said with her military voice.

"We just started Viet. We haven't gotten through much either so you are lucky today." The voice came from one of Viet's younger brothers, Hyung Soo. "Kiku, can you take care of the details?"

"Of course. We have gotten news that the Europeans have made their move. They are on their way here to Seoul. This wouldn't be a problem if it were just a fleet from Francais or Arthur or just a command from one particular area from Europe. Instead, they have sent the Nordics meaning that the ships come from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland. Their leaders are known (by just their first names) as Matthias, Lukas, Berwald, Tino, and Emil."

"It can't be!" yelled one of the elders. "How can they have their ships come all the way over here? Not only that but are they not known for being one of the best pirates and ocean-dwellers of the European?" Everyone else was in shock to hear this news. The members of the council started to talk about the problems that they could have and their thoughts as of how the Scandinavian ships have come to Asia.

"Looks like we'll have some work on our hands," Yao said to Viet. The Chinese squinted his eyes and looked at the world map on the other side of the room.

"You're telling me," replied the Asian woman.

"Hahaha! Looks like we'll get their by sundown, don't you think Lukas? We'll win this war in no time!" exclaimed the Dane. He stood there with his telescope against his right eye looking at the large village several miles in front of him.

"Probably," replied the Norwegian. The salty wind blew into his face and he closed his eyes taking in the moments before he had to go into battle. He felt that victory was theirs and that the war will soon was over. Little did he or Viet know that their encounter will be a fateful one or even that the beginning of this war had more than what meets the eye.


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: I do not own the anime, characters, maybe settings and a lot of other stuff that may be mentioned._

_The second chapter is here~ This chapter I think will be intense. I'm only making this up as I go though so don't expect too much. Also I can't do accents even if I tried so I won't be doing them._

"So what you're telling me is that we are going to wait until nightfall and then we attack? Honestly Berswald, that sounds boring. Can't we just do it right after we landed?" asked the Dane in boredom. His legs were on top of each other on the table and his hands behind his head.

"We have to be careful. They know that we're coming so we have to be stealthy about this," replied the Swedish man. He sat on his chair that he made himself which turns out to be one of his favorites. He stared at his companion with serious eyes that would usually seem to stare into the person's soul but Matthias was too oblivious to actually fear his friend.

Tino saw the situation where the two might fight so he tried to find a way to make a compromise between the two. The Finnish had little effect on the two men though and they began to argue on their viewpoints on how to invade their enemy. Emil, the blood-related brother who was born in Iceland sighed at the sight before him while Lukas stared off into space, not listening to the conversation that was starting to become a long quarrel.

Emil noticed his brother inattentive behavior. He then asked his brother, "What are you thinking of Lukas? You seem to be in the clouds today." His brother turned his head, facing Emil with an expressionless look upon his face that was more expressionless than the usual.

"I don't really understand the point of this war. Why are we fighting these Asians besides that they had insulted us Westerners over two hundred years ago and then after throwing insults at each other, we went and started violence? I don't think that would be a reason to have a war in the first place. If they had started attacking us first before insulting us, that would make a lot of sense but with the history that we learned, I think that this is pointless. Or at least to the extent of why the war started." Lukas than placed his left hand under his chin and stared at the table. "The reason why I'm fighting this war and why this war has continued for so long is because so many people had lost their loved ones who we know as ruthless savages. They killed our parents and the parents or families of other individuals of Europe. I want to get revenge for them… for all of us."

"And that is why we are going to attack one of the villages that hold one of the most dangerous groups in Asia that has the ability to take on almost everyone. That is until today." The sudden voice of Matthias surprised the brothers. Lukas then saw that Berswald and Tino were also looking at them with interest in the discussion. Looking back at Matthias, Emil and Lukas saw the seriousness in their leader's eyes. They had all faced similar situations which gave them the determination to be where they were now.

"That's right. If anything, we're all in this together and we'll all bring justice to our people, to Europe," added Tino. Lukas stared at his companions not as the business kind of relationship many leaders had but as his friends that would stick by his side until they died. He closed his eyes, nodded his head and gave a faint smile gaining back his reason to why he fought.

_Back in Seoul…_

Viet walked from the conference room to her sleeping quarters to start working on maps and strategies when the Nordics cam to their land. She opened her door and entered a room where paper with written work and drawings covered the walls making it look messy yet colorful (some drawings included color and sometimes Viet wrote in color ink). Textbooks and journals jammed the bookshelves she kept at one side of her room and her bed and desk was on the opposite side. She sat on her chair that matched the designs of her pine desk and pulled out several sheets of paper and the world map. The Vietnamese girl started writing and drawing tactics that the warriors of Seoul could use to fight off their enemy. After several minutes, she stopped writing and began to think of nostalgic memories and thoughts of her personality.

Ever since she was young, Viet loved reading and learning. Yao adapted her as his little sister and he provided her with books and scrolls of literature and almost anything that you could think of. As she grew older, she started to do her own research on topics that interested her like religion, myths, politics, cooking, drawing, history and many more topics that are too many to list. She was intelligent but also strong mentally and physically. While she studied, Yao trained her to be able to do martial arts and many other fighting styles so that she could protect herself if something were to happen to her during the war. She went beyond that though. Viet became a part of the army and was proven to be one of the best soldiers in Eastern Asia. There were many other commanders such as Yao who are stronger than her but she was one of the best.

At one point though, Viet started to wonder why she fought in the war. "I don't understand Yao. The Europeans started to insult us and then we kept on arguing back and forth to the point that war broke out. Couldn't they have thought of a compromise? This war seems pointless to fight," asked the younger version of Viet.

"Maybe we could have but that is all in the past. I do not believe that they will stop holding a grudge on us anytime soon. After small acts of violence occurred, bigger events started to happen and more offenses happened between the two continents making it harder for us to be allies like we once had. It would be nice to have peace but what can we do with all the major battles and events that had happened from the beginning of the war until now? Like plants, we were once related to each other but over time, starting to breed with other plants started to make us different in many ways to the point that the two plants can no longer become one." The memory of Yao sitting next to Viet on her bed made her feel stronger, holding on to the reason why she fought in this war. Now, Viet was a commander and a representative of Vietnam like her older brother who represented China. She was stronger and surer of her belief about the world.

A knock came from Viet's door that led to the hallway. "Come in," said Viet as she finished up her paper work.

"It's me Hong. Like Viet, Yao wants to like talk to you. I think that Kiku and Hyung Soo are with him. Mei and Yong Soo are going to meet me at the market place so that we can get some stuff for dinner. Thai just went to visit the cavalry and check up on the elephants."

"You don't have to tell me everything everyone is doing Hong. Well, at least I know where the general location of where you guys will be. Lead me the way to where Yao and the rest are then."

"Gotcha jie jie." Hong then led Viet outside to the inner courtyard of the military facility. A large pond took place in the center of the courtyard and flowers surrounded the perimeter. Three men sat at a table under a pagoda near the pong eating cookies and drinking tea. "I'll see you later then Viet," Hong said as he walked away from the garden.

"See you to Hong," Viet returned the good-bye. She then walked up to her brothers who noticed her arrival. Kiku and Hyung Soo stood up and greeted their older sister by bowing their heads down then sat in their chairs once again. Viet nodded her head in return as her sign of greeting.

"It's beautiful out here today, isn't it Viet?" asked the Korean.

"It is but I do not believe that we are meeting out here to speak about the weather Hyung."

"That is correct nee-chan. What we were wondering was if you knew when our enemies will come and what we should prepare for. So far, we know that they had left several weeks ago; more specifically, four weeks. The average time of arrival would be about five weeks. The only problem is that we are going against probably the best sailors in the world who know more about marine warfare than we do," explained the Japanese man who sat across from Viet.

"We can't underestimate them but we have never fought against them either so who knows what they have up their sleeves," added Yao.

"If we were to really think about their experience with the sea and land, then we would have to expect them to arrive sometime this week. As of what to prepare for… well, we might have to evacuate the citizens of seaports and place soldiers along the coast of Korea. Weapons that we can be sure of are canons, bombs (though we don't know what kind), swords, spears, and many of the classics."

"It will be hard to make any traps or surprise attacks if they are on the sea and we are on land. We can set something up but it will take too long. If they will come in less than a few days as Unni says, then we won't have time to create anything affective," worried Hyung Soo.

"Then we might just have too im-". Yao was cut off by the shouting of men in the distance. Thai ran up to the four under the pagoda, panting.

"What's wrong Thai?" asked Yao to the man leaning down, holding to his knees and panting.

"The Europeans…*huff*… are here!" exclaimed Thai.

"What?!" yelled Hyung Soo. Disbelief filled Viet's and Kiku's eyes by the news. Yao quickly stood up and walked down the steps of the Pagoda to the trail that led to the military facility.

"Let's get moving! We have no time to lose. Evacuate all the citizens and get the men ready! Have our troops prepare the cannons at the wall and our archers ready. Hyung Soo, get Mei, Hong and Yong Soo out of here to bring the citizens to safety. They can come back later to help but we must first worry about the lives of the citizens. Viet! Kiku! Get ready for attack!" Yao walked off and back into the building. Hyung ran to the market place to search for the youngest of the siblings and Thai went back to the cavalry to get them ready. Viet and Kiku went to the armory and prepared themselves for war.

Matthias saw the military like pace of the city sensing that they were seen earlier than what they had planned. "Shoot it all. They saw us coming, even with Berswald's plan that seemed so full-proof."

"We underestimated our enemies. I guess we should expect this from one of the best armies of Asia," Tino explained to his companions.

Hours passed before the ships could arrive on land. All the troops were where they were supposed to be at the walls guarding the city. The men from the ships came in orderly lines with guns and swords in hand. The cannons on both the ships and the walls guarding the village were set for aiming at each other. The sound of booming footsteps came from the shores of the beach and a dreadful excitement filled Viet's body.

Lukas also felt a chill going down his spine from the excitement of battle even though he was unsure of the result of the battle. Silence then spread throughout the forest that separated the village from the beach.

The first sounds of the battle that were heard were the commands of Yao and Matthias as the yelled, "Fire!" The sound of cannons boomed and then the crashing of stone walls and multiple pieces of wood breaking was heard. Archers started firing their arrows up into the sky. The sun was starting to go below the horizon but it did not stop the soldiers from both armies to stop the shooting. Blood covered the walls and the dirt of the land making it difficult for those who were alive to walk on. When the men of the Europeans were about 100 meters away, the Asians sent out their cavalry to fight them off.

The citizens had left the village but were still on their way to the next closest village that was secure and had decent protection. Mei, Hong and Yong Soo saw the lights dancing in the village and hoped that their older siblings were safe. They did not want to lose their family again.

Men pulled out their sword and spears, slicing and cutting the each other in the dark of the night with the only light coming from the lanterns that surrounded the city. The moon and stars were covered by clouds making the night more ominous than any other night both armies had seen. Screams of the men who died filled the night but very few could care about the screaming as they were fighting for their lives.

Viet's weapon was a staff/spear that was specially built for her so that she could gracefully and easily maneuvered herself as she fought. Person after person did she killed as they tried to run up to her and carelessly fight her experienced skills. Blood soaked her blouse and jacket causing her body to feel heavier. She did not notice though, as she fought one European after another. This continued for hours until dawn started to appear. For some people, fighting all throughout the night was longer than when they fought during the day.

Lukas was in a similar state as Viet as he fought one Asian after another. His sword had sliced the heads of many Asian warriors or was pierced into the heart of a man. When the sun began to rise up from the ocean, he became more self-conscious of how he looked and what he had done. That was also when he saw a young girl, about his age (of 23) standing on top of the roof of a small house wearing a white blouse and a red, unbuttoned jacket. Her pants were slightly baggy and were tucked into her knee-high boots. She held a staff with an end that made it more like a spear. Her ebony hair was tied back into a ponytail and her golden eyes glittered from the rising sun. Lukas and Viet had met eye to eye and saw each other as an enemy.

The wall behind Lukas was completely turned to rubble over the night. He ran into the forest, hoping that he would catch the attention of the female warrior and fighting her one on one. He hated her but at the same time intrigued by her features. Lukas admired her strength as a woman who could fight. He turned his head to look back as he ran. Like he wanted, the Asian woman was following him.

From Viet's point of view as she saw the blonde haired man looking at her, she thought he was quite attractive. Yes, his clothes were covered in blood but what was there to expect when you went into battle. His hair was a dull blonde and his eyes were somewhat dull. Even so, they were the color of a midnight blue that was a rare color for her to see. His blue coat had a golden trimming to it and he seemed to have worn a white vest and white gloves. His hat which Viet still found odd and interesting in shape was also blue and had a golden rose on his left side. When their eyes met, it was as if there was some sort of connection between them. She strongly disliked him for he was European but couldn't help but wonder what he was like. As he turned and ran away, he looked as if he wanted her to follow him. _Maybe it is to fight one on one_, thought Viet and she took after him.

The Vietnamese woman and Norwegian man found themselves at a cliff over the ocean. They were silent for a moment and were still. They faced each other and stared into each other's eyes bewildered by each their hatred for each other and intrigued by each other's physical features. Suddenly, their feet carried them to each other and sparring between the staff and sword. How long they fought, they never knew. The sun was above their heads when their final blow on each other had officially tired them out. Their bodies ached from fighting since the night to that afternoon and hunger clouded their minds since they also haven't eaten. The clouds covered the skies again making the world gray and harsh. The waves of the ocean crashed against the cliff and the wind howled, blowing the jacket and coat of Viet and Lukas.

Rustling came from the bushes and two men popped out from two different places from the forest.

"Yao!" exclaimed Viet as she saw her older brother standing there in front of her with tattered clothing and armor, his sword in hand. He panted and stood where he was, trying to regain his breath.

"Matthias!" exclaimed Lukas as he saw his best friend with cuts and torn clothing. The Dane was smirking as if saying 'Who else could it be?'

Both men move a step forward then stopped. A screech came from the sky terrifying the men on the ground. Viet, Yao, Lukas, and Matthias stared at the sky paralyzed by the loud screech that no one has heard before. A bird, larger than the size of a mountain top, sliced through the clouds dressed in flames flew over the city. The sight had put Viet and Lukas in a daze that they forgot where they were, who were around them, and what they were doing. Everything escaped their minds as they watched the flaming bird soar in the sky above them. It wasn't until the bird swooped down towards the two did they gain back their senses and reality.

The force from the wind and heat that the bird made as it rushed passed Viet and Lukas knocked them over the cliff and into the crashing sea. Yao and Matthias screamed and ran toward their loved ones in hope of saving them but it was too late.

Viet and Lukas fell into the water and were never seen to surface above it. The fire bird went back up above the clouds and disappeared from the sight of all who had seen it. Devastation filled the hearts of Yao and Matthias as they saw the one person who they trusted most fall to their deaths…

Or so that was what they thought.


	3. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer: I do not own the anime, characters, maybe settings and a lot of other stuff that may be mentioned._

_Heads up for this chapter: To develop the story and characters I must now write about other important characters and Viet and Lukas won't appear much in this chapter._

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_In England…_

A man with emerald green eyes and ruffled, blonde hair paced back and forth in front of the conference table with agitation, waiting for his fellow comrades to enter the room and begin the meeting. He was an hour early but he was nervous knowing that the Nordics were probably fighting against the Asians. He was unsure about the result knowing that both armies were strong. He stopped suddenly as a fairy flew up to his face.

"Arthur, you shouldn't worry too much. You get migraines if you worry a lot," worried the little fairy that could only be seen by the English man, a Romanian, and Norwegian.

"For Pete's sake, I can't. This war has been going on for over two hundred years destroying cities and killing people. The battle that is being fought right now or soon will effect who will win this bloody war. You've seen this go on ever since it started. How can you not be worried?" The English man finally sat down in his chair to relieve the tension that he felt. As optimistic and annoying as Matthias was, he was open to hear other ideas and is a great leader, especially when it came to the Scandinavian countries. He sighed, just hoping that they could at least do some damage that might turn the tables to the Europeans' favor.

"Well, we can still exist since regular people can't seem to see us and the war has little effect of our existence even though it has destroyed a lot of land. We always find a place to live peacefully," replied the fairy. She hovered around his head and sang, calming the mind of Arthur from all the stress that has been going on. "You have about thirty more minutes before the meeting. Why not get some fresh air and see if anyone has come for the meeting yet?"

"I guess you're right. We can discuss all the problems later during the meeting." Arthur walked outside of the building to the garden nearby. A gazebo was in the center of the garden surrounded by rose bushes. Several tables and chairs were placed under the gazebo and several citizens of England were there eating and playing. _If only our worlds could exist like that. Peaceful and happy, _thought Arthur. His uniform caught the attention of the people under the gazebo who saluted to him as he walked by. The children stood there with silly smiles upon their faces as they looked at Arthur.

Arthur smiled back and waved. He kept on walking until he saw some of the representatives of other European countries walking in his direction. A tall blonde man with his hair combed back and noticeable sideburns marched next to a man, slightly shorter than him, with brown hair and glasses. They were discussing with each other about something but stopped their conversation when they saw Arthur.

"It has been a while has it not, Mr. Ludwig and Mr. Roderich?" asked the English man. His posture was more gentlemanly yet strict as he met two of his allies.

"Yes it has Arthur. Also, such formality is unneeded. You know that," the Austrian replied. Arthur and the German noticed that Roderich was tapping his foot for an unknown reason to them because usually, the Austrian would do such thing while listening to music but none was playing now. Roderich noticed the confused looks upon his comrades' faces. "I heard a song before arriving here and it has been stuck in my head for a while. Do not mind me," explained Roderich. The other two nodded in understanding.

They then walked back to the conference room to find a large amount of people in there. "Looks like everyone has arrived," said Arthur. The entrance of the host quieted the crowd and had made everyone sit down. He then arrived to the chalk board and the seat where he was meant to be. Arthur took in the sight in front of him and took in a deep breath. Once his confidence in talking arrived, he started to speak as he usually would in the meetings held between the representatives.

"As we know, the Nordics should arrive sometime this week or even today to invade the village of Seoul in Korea which contains one of the strongest divisions of the Asian army. Whether we win this battle or not, we must not let our guard down. I expect riots or an attack from the Asian after they heard about the battle. I would like to hear the suggestions on how to protect the borderline of Europe and Asia." The intent eyes looked at the English and their ears listened to every word coming out of his mouth.

"Vee~ We can go and give them pasta!" yelled one Italian. He ended up with getting hit in the head by the German, Ludwig.

"Be more serious Feliciano. This isn't realistic for us to use. We can create a land mind to take off the first wave saying that they have a large force coming then we can work it out with the newly developed weapons we have."

"You mean the new guns and cannons, right Ludwig?" asked Lars, the man from Netherland.

"That's correct Lars. Even if we lose the battle at Seoul, we still have the advantage in technology and weaponry."

"Then we have a choice. Does anyone else have a suggestion?" asked Arthur. His eyes searched the room for a hand but none came up. Instead, a female stood up and stared at Arthur for a minute before she said anything.

"We have to make sure that they don't hurt the occupants near the border. We can't risk the lives of the ones that live here in Europe." Her hair was curly and long that it past her bottom. Her bang went to one side of her head and was clipped by a flower clip. She wore a green dress with a white apron. Elizaveta showed concern in her eyes that England could understand.

"If that is the case then we can evacuate the citizens of the bordering cities when the time comes. In the mean time we can set up the area for attack. Does that please you, Ms. Elizaveta?"

"Oui, oui! There are no worries with the plan Arthur," said the French man that sat next to England named Francis.

"Does anyone else have any objections?" asked Arthur one last time. Everyone shook their heads. "Good. Then I think this meeting is concluded." With that, everyone in the room stood up to talk to each other or just walk outside from the conference room. Arthur turned to leave as well but a hand grabbed onto his shoulder before he could get anywhere. He turned his head around to see who grabbed his shoulder and to his surprise, he found Ludwig, Roderich, and Elizaveta behind him.

"We need to talk in private, Arthur," said Ludwig. Arthur led the three to his office and asked one of his servants to bring them tea and scones.

"Actually, we aren't in the mood to eat so you don't have to bring the scones Arthur," explained the Hungarian.

"Are you sure?" asked England with a confused look upon his face.

"We are definitely sure," replied the Austrian this time. "Anyway, what we wanted to talk to you about was the Nordics and their battle we are assuming that they are going through right now."

"What about it?"

The German spoke first to reply the English's question. "Aren't you suspicious why they volunteered to go down to a place where the climate is unusual? They might have acted all readily but they seemed to have another motive other than just wanting to win the war and getting 'revenge' as they call it, for Europe. Elizaveta overheard them discussing about something that is suspicious."

"That's right. I heard Matthias speaking to Berswald that the Asians might have some sort of treasure or power over there that could make the stronger. It was something about an orb or two that had the power to control the seas and skies. We didn't want this to be heard by everyone at the meeting because we were unsure and we did not want anyone to get ideas and betray the European nations."

"Orbs that control the seas and skies? Hmm…" wondered the English.

"We thought that maybe you could know something about this since we think that you really care about this war. Do you know anything?"

"I've heard something about it but I haven't actually looked into the legend. I believe that it has something to do with the phoenix that ruled the skies and brought warmth upon the earth while a dragon that controlled the seas kept the earth cool. They had the power to destroy and create. Well, that's the information I remember in a nutshell. The orbs part sounds familiar but I'm kind of unsure how it fits in. I can come up with ideas but it's better to know the actual purpose," explained the Brit.

"Wait, so you're saying that with the power of these creatures, than they could destroy us at this very minute?"

"Possibly but no knows for sure if it's true. I would believe in such stories but I haven't seen them to believe so it is more than likely it is a fable. I can look into it if you want. We are talking about Matthias and Berswald though. There is no way that they can be serious about that, can they?"

"Matthias sounded sure enough Arthur. Do you think that the orbs may lay in Asia?" asked the Hungarian with concern.

"It is a probability but I'm unsure. As I said, I can look it up. You guys seem serious as well, so I'll take your word. When Matthias and the rest come back, saying that they will, keep a close eye on them."

"Understood," replied the three visitors in the room. As their discussion ended, a servant had brought in tea cups and a pot of tea.

"Well, let's have some tea first since you are here." The two men and woman in the room looked at each other, and then nodded. The rest of the day went by as peacefully as it could be besides the news of small political events that occurred in both Asia and Europe. The only thing that these four representatives did not know, was the event of the flaming bird during the Battle of Seoul and the loss of two commanders from both sides of the war for the next few months that drastically turned the war upside down.

Confusion and chaos would draw the attention of many, separating many groups of people and putting more doubt in the minds of these people than giving them the hope that war would end soon. The true story of love and sadness began here.

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_Hope you guys like this as well. Just needed story development. As I said before, I'm not good with accents so I won't do them. I'm also lazy so I don't edit my work and I know that there will most likely be grammatical errors. Either way give me some constructive criticism if you do not mind, please. I need it._

_Also R&R~ I would appreciate it._


	4. Chapter 4

_Disclaimer: I do not own the anime, characters, maybe settings and a lot of other stuff that may be mentioned._

_Anyway, last chapter, I felt rude when I left my author's note at the end of the chapter so I apologize for that. I was tired and it was late at night when I wrote it. Updates won't be daily either. I just had time over the weekend to do this so yeah…_

_Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter._

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The village of Seoul was nearly destroyed. Smoke covered the sky from the houses and buildings that were burned during the battle that lasted for three days. Reinforcements had come to the aid of the Asians but somehow, the experience that the Nordics had with fighting had caused most of the reinforcements to die. Bodies of the Europeans and the Asians that died covered the streets and the smell of blood was strong enough for those who were there to most likely regurgitate.

The military facility in Seoul was miraculously unharmed holding inside it many soldiers and the representatives of the Asian countries. Chaos stirred within the walls of the building as food supply was running low and the medical team rushed to treat their injured patients. A boom was heard from the conference room that people around its perimeter could hear very clearly.

"Damn it!" yelled Hyung Soo who hit his fist against the wall. The pain from the punch had shaken his body. "What did that bird do to Noona? Was it really that strong that it blew her off her feet and into the ocean?" His rage was apparent, especially to his twin brother Yong Soo.

"Hyung, we can't do anything about it. Even Aniki tried to find her right after she fell but there was no sign of her body. We have to trust that Noona stays strong and is alive somewhere without amnesia da ze," said Yong Soo to try and calm down his brother.

"Don't reference those stories that include sickness and amnesia aru! In any case, I agree with Yong Soo about the situation and hope that Viet is alive. We need to find a way to counter the European fleet. We also need to know what that fire bird was aru," explained Yao.

"That's easier said than done Yao," worried the Japanese man. "We've checked Viet's room if they had anything from legends to history books about the bird. Our men are tired and injured and a good amount of our force had been killed. We are tired and hungry. They might not have much men or ammo left but we can't let our guard down. Seeing how they fought these past three days makes me worried."

"What can we do Matthias? With the state our men are in, we might not be able to win this battle," said the Finnish man sitting across from Matthias. "Not only that but that weird fire bird swept Lukas off his feet and into the ocean!"

"Lukas will live. He's a strong man. We just have to pray that he doesn't have amnesia or has some kind of sickness that could kill him," said Emil, his eyes staring at whatever he was looking at in front of him. His hands were folded and in front of his mouth. His eyes were serious and the gaze that the purple orbs gave brought shivers down the spines of his comrades. It wasn't often that he acted like he cared for his older brother but it didn't mean that he did not worry about him.

Matthias sighed. He did not know what the bird was, where it came from, what kind of power it has, and what its intentions were. "We can't stay here too long. Our food supply is running out and I don't think our men can hold out any longer. What do you think Berswald?"

"We might as well just retreat. With what we have, I say that we can survive from here to one of our bases in Africa. We can rest there for a while then go back to Europe. It's too much of a risk to keep on fighting and then we run out of food." A moment of silence spread throughout the room as the men were in thought on what they should do.

"What about Lukas? If he is still alive, we can't just abandon him here. How can he survive in these lands? That Asian commander got knocked down too. There's a chance that she might have regain consciousness before him and maybe killed him!" exclaimed Tino.

"We can't allow that European to kill jiejie! Even if we fight them, we might just kill each other off and no one will be able to find her. Maybe we can send someone to go look for her," cried Mei. Her eyes were full of panic and worry that she hasn't been able to sleep for the past few days. After she, Hong, and Yong Soo had returned from leading the villagers to safety, they joined in the fight which helped the Asian army to be even with the Europeans instead of losing to them. The villagers were reluctant to move from their village and wanted to join in the fight but Mei somehow assured them that the army would be fine.

"She's right. There isn't another army unit nearby to come to our aid in time if we have to fight the Europeans soon. We could kill each other off with no survivors. Like, what should we do Yao?" asked Hong.

Yao sat in silence as he took the information in. There weren't many things that they could be able to do except to either keep fighting or retreat. "I think that we should-". Yao was cut off by the slam of the sliding door opening.

"Yao…*pant*… The Europeans… They are retreating," exclaimed Thai. He stood there out of breath. Kiku wondered why he was always out of breath when he had some kind of news to tell.

"What?!" questioned all the Asians in the room. Thai was truthful though with what he said. The ships (or at least what were left of them) were moving away from the shore. Talk of the retreat spread throughout the whole facility like how a fire eats away paper.

"You sent the word back to Arthur, right?" asked Matthias to Berswald. He nodded and pointed to the bird that was just a dot in the sky. The Dane gazed at the dot until it vanished above the rising smoke and probably beyond the clouds. "Good. Let's head out to Egypt then… Honestly, why can't that guy just give us his name instead of us calling him Egypt all the time?" complained Matthias. He walked back to his sleeping quarters to get some rest from all the fighting. Berswald, Tino, and Emil watched him leave.

Emil leaned his back against the railing of the ship and looked at the sky. _Be safe Big Brother. I'm thinking this now since there might be a chance that you could have died. I hope not though._ The rocking of the ship calmed him down. He then looked down into the water below him, allowing the patterns across the water to mesmerize him.

A dark shadow appeared from beneath the water, catching Emil's attention. Another dark shadow appeared in the water of the pond in the garden of the military facility in front of Yao. No one else was around them. The figure slowly surface from the water bewildering Emil but the presence of the creature did not surprise Yao.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Emil."

"It is a pleasure to see you again, Yao."

Meanwhile, in Seychelles, a European man and an Asian woman are laid to rest by a dark skinned girl with dark brown hair. She wore a light blue dress that was somewhat large for her skinny body. Her eyes were soft and her smile was kind.

"My, my Viet. It has been a long time since we last saw each other. Not only that but it seems that someone else has fainted along with you."

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_Did I leave a cliff hanger? Yes I did. Not only that but it seems that Matthias doesn't know anything about the phoenix unlike what Elizaveta saw last chapter. Who saved Viet and Lukas and how did they arrive in Seychelles within those three days after they fell? I would think you guys can answer the first half of that question. If you can, please R&R~_


	5. Chapter 5

_Disclaimer: I do not own the anime, characters, maybe settings and a lot of other stuff that may be mentioned._

_First off, I want to thank GreenAppleTea for pointing out that Hyung Soo and Yong Soo should be calling Viet noona instead of unni (for those of you who don't know about Korean that much is that noona is older sister said by males while unni is said by females). I think I fixed that problem but I'll check again. I'm glad that there are people who are reading so thank you to the readers too. Hope you guys like this chapter~_

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The dark blue eyes of a light-skinned man slowly opened and squinted from the light that was shining on his face. He groaned as he felt the warmth making him sweat under the thin blanket that covered him.

"Ah, you're awake. How do you feel?" The voice was light and understandable but her accent was unknown by the man in the bed. His vision cleared and standing beside his bed was a dark-skinned girl with brown hair that was put into pigtails by red ribbons. She smiled sweetly at him and held a questioning look on her face.

"My mouth is dry," replied the worn-out man in the bed. She then left the room to get him some water. She wore a light blue dress that exposed some of her shoulders and her chest. The skirt was flowy and long and the sleeves were slightly puffed up. The entrance that she exited led outside to where the sun was brighter than the man had ever seen it shine; the sky looked like the reflection of the sea with its bright blue color, and the sand was a light tan color.

He lifted his body a little to see more clearly the view that he could see outside the door and window. Instead of the sight of outside, his eyes saw a figure in the bed across from him. The head of the person in the bed had ebony colored hair. Her eyes were closed and her face looked peaceful with sleep. Finally after seeing the feminine face in front of him, he realized that he did not know where he was or what happened after he fell of the cliff from the gigantic bird that was on fire. He panicked, quickly looking around him of his unknown whereabouts.

The girl with the pigtails entered the room again and saw the panicked look upon the blonde's face. She realized that he must have realized that he was in a place that was foreign to him. "You are in Seychelles," she said with a smile. "It's an island and a country in the southeastern area of Africa."

"What?!" asked the young man. "How did I get all the way down here? I remember being in Seoul then knocked down into the ocean." He left out the part with the fire bird which had knocked him over, thinking that she might not believe him.

"Well, a friend of mine, I call him Egypt, was on his way over to somewhere in Asia to do some trading but then he found two bodies floating in the sea. He said that that was where he found you two and saved you guys. Oh, and it's been about a week since he found you. He then asked me to take care of you guys since he knew who I was and was the closest person to him when it came to weird or personal problems that he had. Umm… What's your name? I don't like calling you 'you'."

"… It's Lukas," replied the Norwegian. He thought for a moment then added, "I'm a representative of Norway." The girl was silent and stared at him with disbelief in her eyes. She then glanced back at the sleeping female in the bed across from Lukas then back at him.

"Ah, well, here's your water. My name is Michelle by the way. Nice to meet you," introduced Michelle. This time her smile hinted a feeling of anxiety. She turned his back to him then walked to the Asian female on the other side of the room. Michelle took a small towel from a bowl that must have contained water then squeezed the water out and placed the towel on the ebony-haired girl's forehead.

"Who is she?" asked Lukas. He stared at the sleeping figure for some time until Michelle answered him.

"Her name is Viet… She is an old acquaintance of mine and someone who I owe my life to. I know that you, Lukas, and Viet are enemies but please… Please, don't kill her or at least not here. My goal right now is to take care of the both of you even if it means to risk my life to keep the both of you from killing each other." Her connection with must have been close for Lukas saw that Michelle really wanted to protect Viet.

"Am I allowed to walk now?" asked Lukas, changing the subject.

"Of course, saying that you are better. Lucky for you, Lukas, you didn't seriously injure yourself. Viet seems to have sprung her ankle but it is getting better." Michelle smiled at the sleeping face. She then walked back to Lukas and offered to help him up. It took a while for Lukas to be able to stand by himself but he was able to support himself and walk slowly. Michelle showed him the outside world of Seychelles with its tall palm trees, the soft, white sand, and the small but cheerful village.

Lukas met many of the locals of the town and befriended them easily. He overheard those speaking French, English, and another language that he didn't understand (that being Seychellois creole). Seychelles left him somewhere near the place where he was staying, saying that she had somewhere to go to. He saw small children playing with a ball, kicking it back and forth and laughing. Lukas was dressed in a white T-shirt, dark sweatpants, and tennis shoes. The heat made him a bit uncomfortable but he was adjusting to the weather ever since he left for the invasion on Seoul.

He then wondered about Viet, who lay in the bed in the house that was so near to him. It would be easy to get rid of her right then and there but then he remembered what Michelle had wanted from him and the Asian girl. Lukas walked back to the entrance of the house and leaned his shoulder against the doorway. His eyes wandered the room noticing pictures in picture frames that he did not noticed before and a dining table farther back in the room. His gaze soon settled on Viet who was still unconscious and laying in the bed. He could see the slow movements of her chest moving up then back down. Her face was a little dark but it did not hide the beauty that she held. Her eyelashes were long and her hair smooth. Lukas thought back to when they were fighting each other and recalled her clothing that she wore. He remembered that it gave the presence of a leader and concluded that she was an important person in the Asian army.

Viet stirred in her sleep and startled Lukas. Her body faced him and the soft feature upon her peaceful face made Lukas blush. He mentally hurt himself for thinking such things about an enemy then went to his bed and sat down on the mattress. The Norwegian sighed and wondered about how his brother and his comrades were doing without him. The battle at Seoul also came upon his mind, and he wondered what the result of the situation was. Thought after thought came rushing to him making him worried. Michelle stood in the distance looking at the Norwegian's face and how expressionless he looked made her wonder if he was always like that. Then again he also seemed to be focusing on something that she could never figure out what. She then looked at Viet and wondered how she was doing. Based on the look on her face, Viet seemed at full rest and was relaxed in her dreams. Michelle smiled then walked away to finish her errands and wonder what she should cook for dinner.

_Hopefully Viet will wake up soon. Mona will be coming soon and she knows the situation with Viet and the Europeans. I hope she doesn't tell Francis or the other European nations even though she represents one of them herself. Viet was our best friend when we were younger even though she was under the custody of France… I also hope that Lukas doesn't do anything to her either. I think that my trust for him is right but I can't be too careful. _

Hiding in a palm tree was a falcon and a snake watching the Norwegian and Vietnamese from afar. They heard Michelle's thoughts but did not worry like her. "The both of them shall be fine little one," said the voice of the falcon.

"We shall watch over them and guide them to save their homes and families from the darkness that dwells in the shadows. Be careful with who you meet and who you trust," added the snake. Michelle did not hear them but she felt as if someone wanted to talk to her. She shook the feeling off and continued walking.

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_Okay, if you guys/gals have not noticed yet, characters are OOC. I'm planning on Viet waking up in the next chapter but I'm unsure. Please R&R~_


	6. Chapter 6

_Disclaimer: I do not own the anime, characters, maybe settings and a lot of other stuff that may be mentioned._

_Has anyone noticed that the title is a Transformers reference? I've been wondering if anyone would notice, my other friends have. Anyway, I'm glad that you guys are looking forward to the next chapters. Oh, and also, I used google translate so please don't judge me for the Vietnamese used in here._

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_A baby bird hopped along the empty road without fear. A little girl runs up the road and saw the bird hopping and moving its head curiously to see it surroundings._

_"How cute!" the child exclaimed. She had short, black hair that was tied into a small ponytail. She wore a green short sleeve_ _áo dài with white matching pants and black flats. Her golden orbs showed signs of joy that she had experienced in her life. The child slowly approached the bird and stared at it with naïve curiosity. The bird gazed back and hopped towards the little girl. The girl kneeled down and placed her hands in front of the little bird. It fluttered its wings and landed into the palm of the girl's hands. The girl raised her palms to make it leveled with her eyes. She giggled by the tickling movements on her soft palms._

_BOOM!_

_A loud booming sound came from a distance behind the girl. She turned around with surprise and fear creeping up her spine. The little bird was startled by the noise but did not move from the girls hands. The girl let the bird down and ran towards the village where the sound came from._

_She was far from the village on a hill that was near the rice fields. Her feet seemed to have danced on the roads as she skillfully ran and jumped from the crevices and bumps along the road. The girl was small and did not know the feeling that raced through her mind for her parent's safety. She reached the center of the village which was empty. The child thought it strange for the streets during this time of day was always busy with rattling carts, the talking of people, and the funny noises that come from the animals._

_The girl was scared and she ran towards her house that was several blocks away. At least one block from her house she bumped into someone. She looked up to see a man she had never seen before. He was tall and had strange clothing on. His skin was whiter than the feathers of a swan, his eyes were bluer than the sea, and his hair was golden like the wheat during the fall._

_"Look what we have here," said the tall man. He grabbed the little girl and picked her up. She squirmed, trying to break free from the man's grip._

_"Hãy để tôi xuống!" cried the little girl. Tears came running down her cheeks and fear clouded her mind._

"_Let her go!" screamed an Asian man from behind the foreigner. The man had a rifle in his hands and the way he stood alarmed the foreigner that he was skilled at fighting and using a rifle. The blonde-haired man slowly placed the girl on the ground that ran to her father. He motioned the little girl to go inside the house to her mother and she obeyed or at least half of what her father had wished her. Instead of meeting her mother, she stood behind the wall near the doorway and peaked outside to see her father and the foreign man. _

_All of a sudden a loud bang was heard and a red liquid gushed out of the girl's father's head. He fell to the ground with a limp body, never to be seen again._

_"Bố!" cried the little girl. Flames appeared before the doorway blocking her from getting near her father. The room started to become warmer and the flames had spread to the wooden walls of her home. Sweat formed from the skin of the little girl and she backed away from the sight in front of her, scared, terrified. The flames soon encircled her with no place to run and no one to save her. The rising fire engulfed her and the last thing she saw was the crying face of her mother._

"No!" Viet suddenly woke up from the dream, her hand reached out as if she was going to stop someone from doing something. It was dark around her but she saw that she was dressed in a pale blue night gown under a thin blanket in a bed. Her hair was down and her body was dripping with sweat. Beside her she saw a girl sitting in a chair and resting her head on Viet's bed using her arms as a pillow. Her hair was in two pigtails tied by red ribbons that looked familiar to the Vietnamese woman.

Viet stared for a moment to realize that who she saw next to her was a childhood friend that she was separated from for who knows how many years. The girl did not stir from the screaming that Viet had made from her sleep. _So much for me training her back then to wake up even with the slightest shove, _thought Viet.

"You're awake," stated a deep voice coming from across the room. The voice startled the Asian woman and she looked in front of her, to see a blonde hair man with dark blue eyes staring at her. Her eyes widened by the recognition of the man in front of her.

"You… How did you…?" Viet became confused and alert to where she might have been. "What are you doing here?" Viet finally brought herself to speak a full sentence. The eyes that slept her head on the bed slightly opened. Michelle looked at Viet, not comprehending the situation as she just woke up but then her eyes widened.

"Viet, you are awake!" happily cried Michelle. She hugged Viet and rubbed her face next to Viet's. The Asian woman became confused by the sudden action and situation. Lukas loudly cleared his throat to make sure that the women didn't forget his presence in the room

"The reason why I'm here," started Lukas, "was because we were saved by a man who was going to trade with one of the Asian countries but instead took us in and then handed us over to this fine lady who is hugging you right now."

"That's right Viet! Ah! Do you remember who I am?" asked Michelle.

"Of course Michelle. How could I ever forget one of my best childhood friends?" Viet's golden orbs became gentle but then squinted with suspicion as she stared at the Norwegian in front of her. "The only problem is that I see my enemy in the same room in comfortable clothing across the room from me who has the potential to kill me," stated the Vietnamese. Lukas' eyes were calm and expressionless, not seeming to care about the accusation from his enemy.

"I won't deny any of that but due to the fact that I am in a country that is neutral from the war that we are in and that she is a friend of yours, I'm willing to not cause trouble here… I'm going out for a walk," he said suddenly. He climbed out of bed and exited the room.

Viet thought that the man was strange by the sudden change in subject but otherwise, wise enough to not bring another country against him or the Europeans.

"He's telling the truth Viet. I have been watching him for the past few nights and he doesn't seem to want to harm us." Michelle was sincere and her eyes showed it. Viet sighed and was still trying to process what happened to her and her enemy.

"Can you tell me something Michelle?"

"Anything Viet."

"Who is he? How long have I been out? Lastly, does anyone else such as any of my nemesis, know that I am here?" Michelle giggled and was not surprised by the questions coming out of Viet's mouth.

"His name is Lukas and he is the representative of Norway. You've been out for nearly a week and a half and no one else knows about your guys' whereabouts. Viet's heart relieved as she heard the answer of her last question. She then recalled her memories right before she blacked out in the angry sea. Michelle saw the sadness in her friend's eyes and figured that she was worrying about her family back somewhere in Asia.

"Don't worry Viet. Your family will be fine. Anyway, I think you need some fresh air. Come, on," encouraged Michelle. Viet softly smiled and slowly got off the bed, trying to regain her balance. She and Michelle walked outside into the moonlit night. The light reflecting off the moon gently touched the surface of the sandy earth, making it look as if it were glowing. They went out barefoot. The sand between Viet's toes tickled and was soft. The touch was foreign yet familiar and Viet had closed her eyes and tilted her head back to breathe in the air that she had not smelt for years.

Afterwards, they continued walking to the beach where the water went in and out of the shore. They stood there, staring off into the sea. Viet then looked around to see if anything had changed about the village. Everything seemed the same besides the newly growing plants in some areas and the fact that she and Michelle were much older than when they had first met. Her eyes then reached a figure in the distance. She focused on the figure more to find it to be Lukas staring at the Michelle and Viet. For a moment his head turned as if there was someone else next to him and his mouth moved and seemed to have formed a sentence. Viet thought that Lukas was mysterious and strange. His head turned back and his eyes met hers. The Asian quickly turned her head away and slightly blushed by the fact that he found her staring.

"Let's go back. I'm still tired," Viet said suddenly. Michelle looked at her friend and smiled in understanding.

"Okay then." She then led Viet back to her house. Viet looked back to where she saw Lukas but did not see him. She shook the thought off and continued walking, starting a new conversation with Michelle about how she was doing after so many years of being separated from each other. Lukas watched them walk back to the small wooden house then leaned his shoulder on a tree next to him and placed his hands in his pockets.

"I think she's interested in you like how you are interested in her," said a small fluff with wings that floated next to Lukas.

"Are you serious?" asked Lukas. His eyes bore down at the small adorable fairy next to him. The white fluff did not take notice of the staring and continued to reply.

"Yes I am. Honestly, ever since I found you, you have been staring at her with intent eyes and right now, she just blushed as you made eye contact with her!"

"She probably didn't want to stare at her enemy that she's afraid is going to hurt her," Lukas stated. The white fluff with glittery wings shook its body as if to shake its head at the obliviousness of his master and sighed. _Then again, they were born to be enemies. We can't always have two people come together, especially if they are from opposing sides. Hopefully this doesn't end like Romeo and Juliet, _thought the fairy.

Lukas wondered and somewhat worried about the Asian female he watched. For the nights that he had seen her asleep, she was in a peaceful slumber. Earlier she had just woken up from what seemed to be a nightmare. Lukas stood back up straight and headed back to the house.

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_This was kind of a depressing chapter for me to write but I felt it necessary to do it now than later. Hope you guys like it and please R&R if you get the chance._


	7. Chapter 7

_Disclaimer: I do not own the anime, characters, maybe settings and a lot of other stuff that may be mentioned._

_I don't think that I have mentioned this but I will choose names for people if I know they have one or if I think that should be their name. I couldn't choose for Viet or Thai and Egypt, I'm unsure. Lukas and Matthias I believe are very popular fan names so I put them in the story. A lot of OOC things will happen or so I think. Hope you guys like this chapter as well for the story as a whole saying that I finish it._

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Tino was sore from the battle several weeks ago that took place in Seoul, Korea. He remembered the last time he saw one of his closest friends before he was blown into the sea. Tino saw Lukas staring up at a female Asian warrior who stood on top of a roof of a house. Many of his men's bodies lay around her with blood soaking their garments. The ebony-haired woman also had blood soaked into her clothes. She was slightly panting and her eyes were locked into the stares of Lukas. The sight of the Norwegian luring in the Asian woman made Tino curious but he figured that she seemed like a worthy opponent for Lukas and he wanted a fair fight which he has done in the past before.

Tino saw Lukas' eyes that seemed to have been mesmerized into a world of dreams. Was he interested by the sight of the Asian woman or was it his admiration for her fighting skills? He felt that he would never know and would never get to see his friend again. Tino turned to his side on his bed and allowed the rocking of the ship to soothe his mind. A knock came from his door though waking up the Finnish from his drowsiness.

"Come in," sleepily welcomed Tino to whoever was at the door. A man with beautiful violet eyes and silver-ish blonde hair opened the door. He wore a white, buttoned-up shirt and brown pants that were tucked into his knee-high boots. Despite the beauty of his violet orbs, Tino felt a chill that he never felt before when he saw the little brother of Lukas.

"How are you feeling Tino?" asked Emil.

"Well, I'm still sore  
but other than that, I think I am okay," replied the Finnish nervously. The room suddenly became cold and Tino noticeably shivered from the dramatic change in temperature. "It suddenly became cold in here, don't you think Emil?" inquire Tino.

"Has it? This feels normal to me."

"Maybe it's just me then. Do you need anything, Emil?" asked Tino, his arms still wrapped around him.

"Actually, I was wondering if you could help me with something. This might seem ridiculous but just hear me out. There is a legend that I think all countries know of but it's not often told so some might not even know what it is. Anyway, the legend goes that there are two creatures that helped shaped the earth. One creature flew in the skies dressed with the flames of life and death bringing life and taking death of anything on the earth. The other creature swam in the ocean. It had similar powers to the one that could fly but it was able to raise the land above the water and the weather that circulates around the earth. With both their abilities, they brought balance to the earth. The creatures were made by a higher being who many believe, as we know as, God otherwise we really have no clue who made the creatures. The higher being made the creatures along with orbs that can control them (one orb for each creature) so that the ones who have control of the orbs will be able to possess them and technically create a better world if the earth is in chaos." Emil stopped to catch his breath. Tino sat there and stared at his younger friend wondering if he was really okay.

"So what you are getting at is…"

"Those two creatures are a phoenix and a dragon. We saw the phoenix fly over Seoul and that started to make me believe in this legend. If we can find these orbs, maybe we can stop this war, find Lukas, and bring him home… Actually, I've been thinking beyond that." Silence filled the room and Tino felt that a dark aura was coming from the younger man. He felt worried that the loss of Lukas had made Emil crazy. He thought for a moment though and saw the bright and shining flames on the bird that flew over the village and to the coast where it had knocked off Lukas. Tino was somewhat convinced but when he heard that Emil was thinking beyond finding his brother and ending the war, he became worried again.

"I have been thinking that maybe we could start a new empire, a new rule over Europe and Asia. By doing so, then maybe we wouldn't have any problems anymore."

"That's crazy Emil!" Tino had gotten off his bed and stood up with panic. Could he really mean to take over all of Europe and Asia and then unite them? Tino was sure then that something was not right with Emil. He knew that the Icelandic would not think of such big things and liked his quiet life away from his older brother who would annoy him if he had a chance or from Matthias who was loud and obnoxious.

Emil chuckled softly. "I'm just kidding Tino. You are taking that last part too seriously. I am serious though about finding Lukas. I want to believe that he is still alive. Will you help me? Matthias won't think the whole situation through and Berswald might not agree with a mission that takes him away from the work that he has back at home."

Tino stared, his eyes still filled with fear but understanding. "I'll think about Emil. We don't know where to start and if you really want to do this, then you are going to have to look for it."

"I understand. I'll see you later then." Emil walked out of the room and closed the door behind him. Tino stood where he was and stared at the door as Emil closed it. He saw Emil's eyes and he wasn't convinced that Emil wasn't serious about taking over the world. He shook the thought off and convinced himself that maybe he was thinking too much and sat back on his bed to think. He also noticed that the room became warmer when Emil left.

Outside in the hallway, Emil walked down the hall. His shadow danced from the light coming from the lanterns but then it moved on its own will, not following the movements of the Icelandic man.

"He will join us on our quest. We will have to use him and convince him that this is just to end the war and to find your brother. Our lord will save this world from the two creatures and create the biggest empire in history where our lives will be better," the shadow hissed.

"I hope you are right. We need peace to settle on the lands and sea." Emil walked up to the deck and the shadow returned to looking like Emil's own shadow. The wind was strong and the scent of the salty water brought a familiar feeling to Emil. He closed his eyes and felt the energy from the shadow flowing in his body. "I'll save you Lukas. I promise you that we can end this war and bring peace to the world."

_Foolish child. You have believed in a power that only wants to destroy the light of this world. Do you really believe that we would allow your brother to live after we have seen the sign that he was chosen by one of the creatures of Life. Hahaha! Be ready for your doom._

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_I don't know what to say about this chapter. Please R&R~_


	8. Chapter 8

_Disclaimer: I do not own the anime, characters, maybe settings and a lot of other stuff that may be mentioned._

_I was unsure at first if I wanted this chapter to be about the Asians, Europeans, or back in Seychelles with Michelle, Lukas, and Viet. In any case, I think it's time to put action in and some actual romantic events to happen so good luck me with all of this that I am doing for the first time!_

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It was early morning and the sun was barely above the horizon as it began to rise into the sky. At this time of day, the sky was still dark blue and some stars still visible. The colors of pink, orange, and a light purple came from the horizon and reflected on the large pool of water from where the sun rose from and sparkled of soft yet bright colors.

Viet was awake and simply dressed in a white blouse and a green skirt with legging underneath. She stood there and watched the ocean glittering from afar and making her homesick. To force the feeling away, she figured that she would do something that she had not done since the last time she had been on the African island. Viet walked to the back of the house without the thought of being stealthy and creaked the wooden floorboards underneath her and making the sand shift with her careless steps.

At the back of the house, there were wooden crates stacked against the back of the house looking like stairs that led to the rooftop. The crates were large so Viet had to jump on each one that led to the roof made out of clay and dried up palm leaves. The thumps from her jumping caused a blonde man in the house to wake up and cautiously get out of bed, not knowing that she was already up and suspicious who might be around the house.

The Asian walked to the flat part of the roof and took a few steps forward. She closed her eyes and allowed the tropical breeze to glide along her face. Her bangs tickled her face and she smiled by the soft greeting of the morning. She started to spin and a large gust also blew miraculously at the same time, making her skirt turn wildly as she spun and the wind blew. Lukas saw a piece of fabric flapping on the roof from the sand at the side of a roof. He backed away from the house slowly to see the Vietnamese woman spinning on top of the roof.

She suddenly stopped startling the Norwegian as she also faced him, but her eyes were closed and her arms were stretched out as if to be ready to be given a hug. She took a deep breath in and the slowly let it out. She opened her mouth slightly and started to sing. Usually we would think that singing 'La la la' would be childish but how Viet had extended the notes and changed the dynamics of the tune brought a soothing lullaby to the ears to anyone who could hear it. Lukas stared at Viet with gentle eyes then he closed them to let his imagination spread as he heard the melody. This moment of piece only lasted for about a very long minute until her voice had cracked. The discordant sound of her voice surprised her and Lukas but they both couldn't help but chuckle at the mistake.

Viet's eyes widened as she heard the low chuckle not too far from her that came from the Norwegian man. "No one is perfect," Lukas said amusingly. His face didn't seem as expressionless as the days before, Viet had noticed but that didn't stop her from her embarrassment. She blushed and turned away quickly, not amused by Lukas' amusement.

"How embarrassing," Viet muttered to herself. As she jumped onto first box that led to the sandy ground, a sudden BOOM was heard then she felt the box beneath her feat explode, making her fall. There was no way that the Vietnamese woman could react fast enough to the sudden fall or explosion and she closed her eyes, awaiting the moment where she would feel her head hit the ground and become unconscious. The moment never came though. She opened her eyes and found herself being carried bridal style by the Norwegian that stared down at her. She blushed by how she was being carried and his intense stare.

"Are you okay?" asked Lukas.

"Why would you care?" Viet's face expressed curiosity as of why Lukas had saved her and glaring disbelief in the situation.

"Let's just say that it was an instinct to save someone who is in danger," replied the Norwegian. Before Viet could say any more, another explosion of splintered wood and sand came from the wall of the back of the house. Viet struggled from Lukas' hold and ran to the front of the house in hoping that Michelle was okay. She found her Seychellois friend still sleeping in bed despite the back of her home destroyed and sunlight was starting to shine into the house. Viet ran to her friend and woke her up from her deep sleep. Michelle's tired face became startled when another explosion was heard but from farther away.

"What's going on?" Michelle asked. She was confused and her head moved side to side in disbelief when she saw the state of her house. Lukas appeared in front of the doorway out of breath.

Viet didn't answered her friend's question but shoved her over to Lukas. "Michelle, where are our weapons?"

Michelle was still shocked but she tried to answer the best that she could. "They… They are in… in the storage room. Don't go…go Viet. You'll get hurt," Michelle answered shakily.

"Lukas, take her somewhere safe. I don't care where but just find a place where she won't get hurt. I'll bring your sword too. Don't just stand there! If you keep on stalling I probably won't live to even get our weapons!" With that, Lukas grabbed Michelle's hand and ran towards the village. Another sound of whatever was being shot came but this time, Viet was ready for it. She moved quickly across the rubble, trying to dodge each shot launched at her. Viet noticed that the shots were large but moved unbelievably fast where she thought she wasn't able to see them. She observed close to find that the shots were actually big dark orbs that obliterated once hit something solid.

"This isn't normal. Who's shooting at me and what is that person shooting?" thought Viet. She ran down the hallway to the door which was the only entrance and exit to the storage room. The shots were far from aiming at her but if she did not move fast enough, she could be the next thing in the house that would explode.

In the room she found her spear and Lukas' sword that was securely chained to the wall. "Damn it," muttered Viet. The chains look old and rusted and Viet looked around for anything that might be able to break, cut, or unlock the chain. From the corner of her eye, piece of metal sparkled on the shelf. Viet grabbed it and saw a key which she then scrambled into the locks to get her and Lukas' weapons free. She then noticed an outfit held by a hanger that was hung onto a rack. For a minute, she argued with herself whether she should change or not into the clothing she knew Michelle had made for her when she was going to battle. It could waste time but she wouldn't be able to fight in the clothing she was in now. She hurriedly changed into the white tank top, slightly baggy pants with several pockets in it, knee high boots and the red coat that went past her knees. She grabbed a bag and stuffed a similar outfit to hers into a bag and slung it over her shoulders. Viet gripped her spear and fastened Lukas' sword to her belt (it had a sheath). Suddenly, something rammed into the wall destroying the room Viet was in. Luckily she was not in the way of whatever barged into the room.

Viet had ducked and covered her head from the flying debris. She looked up and her eyes widened as she saw in front of her, a bull made out of a black gas and that was as large as the house if it was still standing and not destroyed. The bull turned toward the woman who only seemed like an ant compared to the size of the creature. It snorted and it stomped its ghostly hooves to the ground, getting ready to charge once more. The Asian woman was shocked and could not move from her spot. The bull raised its head and opened its mouth which started to form a large black ball. It roughly brought its head back down and the black orb was shot at Viet. Once again, Viet closed her eyes getting ready for death once more. Again, after a while she opened her eyes to find herself unharmed.

In front of her she saw a transparent fiery wall that surrounded her along with a falcon that flapped its wings to keep it flying in one spot in the air.

In the village, Lukas was still running and was still planning to away from where the danger was. "Where are we going?" asked Michelle.

"I don't know," replied Lukas quietly. They ended up in front of a cave, both out of breath. "Hopefully she's okay," Lukas thought to himself. What was going on was beyond his comprehension. All he remembered as he ran away from the house was a large, dark figure in the tropical forest behind Michelle's home throwing ghastly balls at them. Many of the other villagers were also running away from the chaos. After looking at the partly destroyed village, Lukas made a decision. "Michelle, I want you to keep on running away from here. I'm going back to help Miss Viet."

"Are you crazy? Whatever is in the forest can go and destroy you! I was shocked and I couldn't stop Viet then. I can't lose another friend."

"Are you saying that you don't trust in Miss Viet's ability to survive? That she is not able to do what she has set out to do?"

"That's not it! We saw what happened to my house and how is she able to survive through something like that?"

"She can survive because she was meant to survive these situations. After the discussions I hear you and Miss Viet have talked about and from the observations I have made of her, I believe that she has a will to survive and not give up when she knows that she still has a chance to do what she needs to do. I believe that we can end this war." There was a pause between the two of them.

"What are your feelings for Viet, Lukas? You know that she is your enemy and yet you think that the both of you can end the feud between Europe and Asia," asked Michelle, finally breaking the silence.

"I admire her strength. She's determined and she is talented. Yes, maybe she is my enemy but right now, I have to make her an ally if I want to survive. I may still be soar in some places since I fell from the cliff and I have no doubt that Miss Viet feels the same way, but if we want to survive, we have to work together.:

"You know you don't have to do this. You can just run away and let her die."

"That's the problem. I don't think she is going to die." He then ran towards where the Vietnamese woman was last seen. Halfway to where the destroyed house was, an explosion of sand had burst in front of him. His head turned around to a wild cat made out of black swirls that looked like smoke. It growled and slowly came towards him. The cat was large and its menacing eyes glared at the Norwegian. It pounced and Lukas barely managed to jump out of the way of the creature. Lukas stumbled but regained his balanced and ran towards the house where he saw a blaze of fire soaring down and slicing another huge, ghostly animal near Michelle's crumbled home.

The bull roared in pain and fell onto its knee. Viet stood up and panted, ready for another attack from the creature. The bull opened its mouth to form another black orb but smaller than the one from when Viet first encountered it. When it released the orb, Viet ran towards it with her spear lifted above her head. She brought her spear down which was engulfed in flames to slice the orb and destroy it. Viet immediately ran towards the bull then jumped and pointed the sharp end of her spear to the bull. She stabbed the creature in its eye and black blood squirted out from it, splashing Viet. The falcon that had gave her the power to engulf her spear in flames soared in the air then swooped down and landed on her shoulder. The beast whose eyes were covered with black ooze showed no signs of movement or life and disappeared into dust.

"Nicely done child," commented the falcon.

"Who are you? What are you?" asked Viet, ignoring the compliment.

"Now is not the time for me to answer. Look, the blonde man is fighting another beast," pointed out the regal bird.

"Idiot! What does he think he's getting himself into?"

"Do not get mad at him. He was only trying to come and help you but he did not know another of the dark creatures also wandered the forest."

"Dark creatures? There are more of them"

"Not all of them are here. Those two were sent to destroy you and Lukas. Viet, go and help him. He will not survive by himself at the moment and my comrade will take a while to get to him before he can use any powers such as the ones that I have given you." Viet slowly stood up with as much strength as she could muster. Her thoughts were confused and she didn't really wanted to help Lukas with the amount of energy she had left. Besides, he was her enemy and she has only known him for a few days where she was unsure if she could trust him. The falcon shook its wings as if to shake something off of it and flew off into a tree. Viet watched Lukas for a minute and felt that it would be unlike her to be unfair with an enemy, no matter who it was.

She picked up Lukas' sword that laid on the ground which fell from the battle with her and the bull and ran to the Norwegian. Lukas was on the ground injured from the 'rough-housing' of the cat that towered over the injured man. Before he could say his last wishes, a spear that was engulfed by flames was thrown in the chest of the tiger, making it roar in agony. It backed away and shook its body, trying to loosen the spear and the pain in its chest. A hand took hold of his arm and when he looked up, he saw Viet kneeling next to him in a different attire than when he had seen her earlier that morning.

"Are you okay?" asked Viet.

"Why do you care?" Lukas repeated the question he was given earlier that morning to tease her.

"Let's just say it's an instinct on saving someone who's in danger," Viet replied with a smile. "Here's your sword. You're going to need it. I can't be much help until I get my spear back. Don't give me a question of why I threw it. As you said, I'm not perfect so I'm not going to think everything through."

"That's a good enough argument for me." The ghostly cat growled in anger and charged at Lukas and Viet. It was uncoordinated with its steps and stumbled barely hitting them. A snake slithered up next to Lukas and hissed.

"My, my. The both of you sssssurvived longer than what I sssussspected. You ssshould be proud," hissed the snake. It slithered in front of Lukas and lifted its body to meet at eye level with the blonde-haired man. "Under the name of God and the power that he will bless upon thee, become the one who controls the ocean and let the Water of Life bring upon the land fruit of thy labor and strength." The eyes of the snake glowed blue and Lukas stared into the eyes. He felt of jolt of electricity run through him. He screamed in pain but afterwards, he felt a new flow of energy entering his body.

"Take your sssword and allow thisss newfound power of yoursss dessstroy the beassst that hasss ssset upon killing you." Without warning, Lukas stood up as if he was not injured. Viet's spear was free from the cat's chest and laid a few feet away from Viet. She quickly went to it and grabbed it.

"So, how do you use this power?" asked Lukas to Viet, his eyes still staring at the cat who was trying to stand up.

"Just let the energy flow through you and to where you want to direct it," she replied and allowed her spear to catch on fire once more. Her hand did not burn even though the flames were scorching hot.

"Water coming from a sword honestly sounds kind of weird. I think it'll just be better if I just threw it." Lukas raised his arm left arm out in front of him and a small blob of water floated above the palm of his hand. It grew bigger and after it reached a certain size that Lukas was pleased with (about 10 feet in diameter) he brought his arm back and threw the water ball at the large feline beast. Lukas charge at it with his sword in both his hands then stabbed it on its forehead. The last cry of pain came from the beast and then it turned into dust.

The sun was high in the sky by then signaling that it was close to noon. A falcon soared down and landed on Viet's shoulder once again and made a sound that seemed like a hum. Viet looked at the sea where the falcon had swooped down from and saw ships that were recognizable with its style. The French were on their way to Seychelles.


	9. Chapter 9

_Disclaimer: I do not own the anime, characters, maybe settings and a lot of other stuff that may be mentioned._

_Last chapter made me tired out desu -_-. Hopefully this will be a good enough length that I won't be tired from typing. On with the story and the suspense! I kept on forgetting as well that Sweden's human didn't have an s in it so it's Berwald and and not Berswald as I had used to spell. I need you readers to help me with these little mistakes so that I won't make them in the future._

_Ayumi Kudou: It's Viet who's in danger. Lukas is European so he can find a way to get out of trouble. You'll have to read to find out what happens~_

* * *

"Viet! Lukas! Are you two okay?" asked Michelle as she ran up to the European and Asian. She stopped and bent her back, trying to catch her breath. "What was that? I mean, I saw fire and a gigantic ball of water that was in the air then thrown at this huge cloud-like-cat-thing!"

"We barely know anything about it ourselves other than that we have the ability to create the fire and water. Don't ask anything because remember, we don't understand either," Lukas explained with no hesitation.

A hiss and shuffling of feathers were heard. Michelle's eyes widened as she saw a teal colored snake wrapped around Lukas' arm and the large bird with talons perched on Viet's shoulder. There was a moment of silence but then Michelle broke it with a squeal. Lukas' face became blank with confusion by the sudden squeak.

"They are so regal looking. I don't know how but they look like they like you guys! How did you guys make these friends Viet? … Viet? Are you okay?" Lukas turned to see the Vietnamese woman's head turned toward the open blue with a serious look in her eyes. She didn't seem to have notice Michelle coming or the noises that they have been making. He turned to see what Viet had been staring at for what seemed to have been for several minutes. The Norwegian saw ships with large, white sails open and puffing out towards the island.

Michelle's face became worried as well and stood there, forgetting about the animals that stayed in place, motionless as if they were only stuffed and put out for display as a prize for being hunted in the cabin of a hunter. Viet, without warning, quickly paced away from the Seychellois and Norwegian without a word.

"Wait Viet! Where are you going?" asked Michelle.

Viet stopped then slowly turned around. Her face was serious and scary-looking as her eyes met with Michelle's. "Those are French ships Michelle. There are three of them coming this way and if I'm found here, there is going to be chaos on the island and I can't let you get hurt… Hear me out first to what I'm going to explain."

Michelle slightly leaned her body towards her friend with anxiousness and anticipation. Sweat started to roll down her neck as she intently listened to what Viet was going to say. Lukas stood there, the snake now slithering on the sand, and his arms crossed, ready for what he was about to hear.

"I'm going to need a horse and a ship that sail me to the mainland of Africa. I'll travel up towards Europe then head east back into Asia. Finding food and water shouldn't be too hard saying that I know where I'm going and what food I should be eating."

"Why can't you just hide here? Not only that but those ships don't actually belong to the French. Actually, they belong to Monica." Viet was silent and her eyes that once expressed the need to escape turned into a small sign of surprise but then turned into a kind of sadness.

"Michelle, it doesn't work out that way. She's a part of Europe and as much as I want a reunion, Francis does not have the control over me anymore and my country is free. Who knows how our meeting will turn out?"

Lukas then stepped forward to Viet with only two feet between them. He then opened his mouth and said, "Don't forget that I'm here. I won't let you go that easily, especially as we know what our connections are."

"I realized that. Do you need to be bribed to keep your mouth shut?" Viet asked sarcastically.

"Sorry to disappoint you but I don't take bribes that easily." Right after Lukas stopped talking, multiple orbs of water started to form in midair. Viet's eyes widened and backed away quickly. The floating liquid then quickly shot at Viet, throwing her ten feet farther away. Another wave of water was shot at Viet but this time she was ready.

She quickly got on her knees and allowed a dome of fire to surround her soaked and sore body. Instead of water putting out the fire completely, the flames evaporated the water and if they did go out, the layer of fire underneath the first barrier took its place (she made two barriers of fire).

Viet, still with the shield around her, put her arm in front of her and pointed her palm towards Lukas. Suddenly, fire was shot out from the fire barrier at Lukas. Being taken by surprised, Lukas dodged barely just in time and only got his sleeve to burn slightly.

Michelle was frightened by the sudden change of situation. The snake that was on Lukas' arm slithered in front of Michelle and stared at her then spoke. "Follow me if you want to live and to ssssee thesssse two alive."

"You can speak!"

"Actually, I am using telepathy to communicate with you. Now come." The snake moved across the sand without any hesitation with the battle happening near him and Michelle's shock to the telepathic reptile. She hesitantly obeyed as an explosion of sand had burst into the air.

"So, since you can communicate with humans… Um… Do you have a name?" Michelle asked.

"I do."

"What is it?"

"I am Hydra (1), a servant of the Water Dragon" replied the snake. As they carefully walked away (in Hydra's case, slithered), a figure flew past them creating a hot gust of wind upon Michelle's neck. She looked up to see the falcon that was on Viet's shoulder, soaring through the sky and then landed on a branch of a fallen tree several feet away from the reptile and human. It's dark, reddish feathers gleamed in the light of the sun and the white feathers that ran down from its underside beautifully stood out from the darker colors. The bird held its chest high and seemed proud of its handsome features but also gave a gentle presence to Michelle.

"And I am Haru (2), servant of the Fire Bird, or as the legends here on earth call my master, the phoenix." Michelle gaped as the falcon could also use telepathy. _But, the phoenix and the dragon… It couldn't be!_

Shaking off the thought for the moment, she then asked, "Is there any way to stop those two from fighting? It's especially bad since the ships from Monaco are coming over here. I know that they may come here by around sun down but still!"

"Do not worry child. They must fight amongst themselves and we shall see to it that the outcome will not involve their death."

As the animals and Michelle was discussing, Viet and Lukas had distorted the natural look of the beach they were on. Hills of sand surrounded them. And many places were either soaked or unnaturally hot.

By this time, Viet and Lukas were sparring with each other with their sword and spear. The battle created scars, burns, cuts, and the result of Viet almost drowning in the water being thrown at her several times. Overall they were exhausted from the previous battle against the beasts yet they continued to fight for their beliefs of what their lives should lead to. Despite their weary minds and body, strangely enough they had enjoyed their sparring as if it were some kind of game.

Viet ran towards Lukas, her spear pointed at his abdomen. He spun around and dodged then swung his sword, aiming for her neck. The Vietnamese ducked and gave a low kick at Lukas' legs, making him fall on his back. The soft sand underneath her feet made it hard for her to climb up a hill of sand but she had made it. She looked down where Lukas was kneeling and was breathing heavily. Viet took in a deep breath and allowed a ball of fire to form in front of her. Lukas did the same thing except with a clear orb of water.

What coincidence it was for the two spheres of fire and water to be shot at each other at the same time. The second the two powers touched each other created an explosion of steam and sand. Lukas was able to stand his ground but Viet slipped and tumbled down the sand dune and into Lukas. Their weapons flew out of their hands and she landed on top of him, both of their faces millimeters away from each other.

A slight blush appeared on their faces but then Lukas' head went down and a sigh escaped from his mouth. "It looks like we failed to kill each other again."

Viet stared at him and then laughed. Lukas stared at him with confusion and hurt. "What are you laughing?"

"Because… ha… I agree… hehe… and this… was fun." She was now sitting against the hill of sand behind her. Her arms were covering her stomach as if she was in pain.

"You are crazy," Lukas commented on her behavior. He slowly got up and sat. The Norwegian then remembered the annoying voice of a certain Dane and the rest of his friends who he sometimes thought of as insane and the thought made him solemn.

Viet noticed this but didn't know what to say. She looked at the sky to see the blue becoming a darker shade and the other colors that appeared for the sunset becoming vibrant. "Maybe I am but it doesn't really matter to me because this is me and I do not see any reason why I have to change. Would it be strange if I said that-." She was cut off by a voice screaming their names in the distance.

"Viet! Lukas! Hurry and get changed or something! Monica is almost here!" yelled Michelle. The Seychellois was panicking. Viet looked down at her attire and saw that it was soaked, stained with black blood, and ripped in several areas. Lukas was burned in some places and his shirt had small holes from the attack of the large, dark, cat and the fire that was being shot at him from Viet.

_Time skip (because I don't want to write anymore)…_

Viet and Lukas had changed their clothing that was not stained with blood or ruined with sand. Lukas was in a white, buttoned-up shirt with sleeves rolled up right above his elbows, brown dress pants and business-looking shoes. Viet wore a white dress with two inch straps and a green sweater that was unbuttoned.

They were formally introduced to their telepathic guardians or so they called themselves and soon enough questions were being asked. The two animals explained their story and what was going on with the world.

"So the both of you are servants that work for the Water Dragon and Fire Bird in the legends, correct?"

"That isss right. You ssseem well verssse about the legend Lukas."

"You came to us because we are reincarnations of our ancestors who became guardians that protected the Earth from evil forces known as The Seraphic which contradicts who they actually are. That is, they want to cover the world in darkness and take over the earth."

"That is correct, Viet. This then leads to you protecting the earth."

"And you tell us that over two hundred years ago, The Seraphic were the ones who ignited the flame of the war by spreading false rumors about what Europe and Asia thought about each other."

"Yesss."

"Now we have to work together in order to stop them?"

"Correct. Well, just you and Lukas are to work together for now." A silence had spread throughout the room making Lukas and Viet think about the situation.

They then turned their heads towards each other and stared into the other's eyes of a shining gold and midnight blue. In unison they then said, "We refuse to work with each other."

"Why is that?" asked Haru.

"We were born and raised thinking that the other is the enemy," replied Viet.

"But the both of you work together very well when you went againsssst one of The Sssseraphic's beast." After that they didn't know what to say against that. The European and Asian knew that they helped each other just to survive but as a small feeling of compassion when they helped each other out.

"Our powers are limited to what we can do and fighting against The Seraphims is not one of them. We shall lead you to the orbs that will strengthen your powers and completely awaken our masters. They are awake but do not truly comprehend what they are doing because they had used their powers two hundred years ago to seal the major forces of The Seraphims making them go into something what you humans would call 'sleep walking'."

"You won't have to work with each other on that part becaussse the orbsss lie in different placesss being the land where you were raisssed." The sounds of multiple footsteps were heard outside of the room that Viet, Lukas, Haru, and Hydra were in. The falcon perched itself onto Viet's shoulder and the snake slithered under Lukas' chair. The door opened with a loud creak and two females walked into the room

One of the females was Michelle and the other was a small girl with a big, red bow that was clipped onto one side of her long, side-braided, blonde-haired girl. She wore glasses and had beautiful, blue eyes that looked like the ocean water shimmering in the sun. She wore a pink dress that had another red bow tied around her collar. Her eyes widened when her eyes lay on the Vietnamese woman.

"V..v.. Viet… Is that you?" she asked in shock.

"It has been a while Monica. How are you and your home in Monaco?" Tears started to form in Monica's eyes and she ran towards Viet and hugged her.

"Do you know how worried I've been about you? It's been such a long time and I have been worrying if you had died after all these years!" cried the Monegasque.

Viet was shocked by the sudden outburst but then her eyes turned soft and she patted Monica's head in comfort. Lukas just sat there and didn't know what to say. He had thought that the small country was going to be serious about the situation but instead, she was crying over a friend who she had lost and was a part of Asia.

Michelle coughed to gain the attention the two women having their little reunion. "So now that this is over, let's discuss about the problems at hand. First off, Viet is pretty far from her home and the only places that she could go to for food and civilization is Europe. Not only that but Lukas here is the representative of Norway and it won't be easy to let this slide."

Monica stood up suddenly then pointed her finger as if to blame him for a crime that he could have committed. "What do you plan to do now Mr. Lukas?" asked Monica sternly.

"Right now I plan on getting evidence as of why I should team up with Ms. Viet who I am supposed to save the world with." An awkward silence arrived in the room. Lukas' face was expressionless and showed no sign of embarrassment from what he just said; Michelle and Monica were completely confused and did not know how to react and Viet just felt awkward and wondered why Lukas had explained their situation.

Haru chuckled at the sight and flew to the table top that Lukas and Viet sat at. "If you need proof to our claims then we shall give them to you. Come here Hydra." The snake slithered up one of the legs of Lukas chair and then jumped onto the table. Both of their eyes started to glow to the point where their pupils or the white of their eyes could not be seen.

Viet closed her eyes as a blinding light filled the room. When she opened them again, she, Lukas, Michelle and Monica were standing in midair.

"Do not worry. This is our memories becoming an illusion. This is how the war started."

* * *

_This was somewhat shorter than the previous chapter but with more dialogue. Anyway:_

_(1)-Hydra is one of constellations that are famous. It is known for several stories such as when the crow of a king had brought water to its master but he had put a snake in his cup trying to poison him. The king banished the bird and threw the raven and snake into the sky. Hydra is also known as just a water snake or the seven headed snake that Hercules killed._

_(2)-Haru is Egyptian, meaning 'hawk-like' or hawk._

_Monaco has arrived and seems willing to help Viet. The next chapter will be the flashback of two hundred years ago to see the actual reason on how the war sparked and dark secrets shall be revealed. A lot of the ideas I got were from movies, animes, or other shows that I watch like Pokemon: Heroes The Movie. Please R&R~_


	10. Chapter 10

_Disclaimer: I do not own the anime, characters, maybe settings and a lot of other stuff that may be mentioned._

_I want to mention something but I forgot what I wanted to type… _

_Oh and I made Vietnam, Seychelles, and Monaco a trio of their own. They were French colonies at one point (I know Belgium was too but she has deeper connections with her older brother, Spain, and Romano) so I thought they would be kind of cool together. _

_Ayumi Kudou: I'm glad you like it~ I don't really believe in love at first sight or whatever. It's not realistic and it kind of bothers me. I watch a lot of anime with it and it bugs me (even though sometimes it's just funny to see their reactions). I'll try to put in more minor characters from the anime/manga as well if I can._

_Moving on~_

* * *

Lukas, Viet, Michelle, and Monica were stunned as they saw themselves standing on air. They were expecting to fall but the situation did not occur. They were only standing 10 feet above the ground covered in smoke and bright red, yellow and orange lights.

"Two hundred years ago many countries went to the extreme to burning villages and cities after hearing that there was going to be sabotage and betrayal between countries," explained Haru who stared down at the rising smoke and bright flames. "Let us go see what I had experienced during this time in this village of Athens…"

The group suddenly had their view zoom down to a certain part of the burning village. They realized that what they were seeing was just an illusion as they passed through a cloud of smoke that they could not smell or feel. Now they were standing a few inches over a cobblestone ground in an alleyway where the fire did not reach yet. A person covered in a dark cloak stood in front of them with a falcon of gleaming maroon and white feathers despite the blackness of the enclosed walls.

"Can you calm down the flames master?" asked a familiar voice. The falcon on the figure's shoulder fluttered its wings as if ready to get ready for flight.

There was silence that made the 'invisible' group nervous though they did not fully understand the situation. "There is no way I can calm it by myself Haru. Not even your comrade, Hydra and her master will be able to calm it with me… The Seraphim have more power now than we have predicted. We can only save those that we can save and fight to only the best of our strength will allow us. Come," the female voice answered in English with a foreign accent. She walked through Viet who felt a chill of familiarity as the woman passed through her body.

Viet immediately turned around to look at the mysterious once more. The current Haru flew onto her shoulder with sadness in his eyes.

"That was your ancestor Viet," the falcon briefly said.

"Let usss keep on going." Hydra slithered forward slightly until a loud blast was heard and the wooden wall of a building exploded in front of them. Viet's eyes widened and a blackish-purple flame came after the wall exploded.

The falcon of the past flew up high to escape from the dark ball of fire but Viet's attention was in front of her.

"Eh! What happened?" asked Monica shakily. She was hugging Michelle tightly, scared of what was happening.

"This is only an illusion," Lukas plainly said, not effected by the surprising destruction of the house. Viet on the other hand could not help but worry and stay quiet. Her silence was only noticed by Lukas who sensed something was wrong with the Asian female.

Another blast of fire, this time of red and orange color, was shot from where the wall collapsed. The hood that had covered the figure was now down, showed the face of a woman whose complexions was very similar to Viet's. The woman's face was scorched and her cloak was burned. The flames of anger glowed in her eyes as she glared at a man with white hair and red eyes (not Prussia/Gilbert… or is it?). He wore black clothing with gold trimmings and circular designs on them.

The albino laughed maniacally. "Do you really think you can run away from me?"

The woman growled but ran away into another dark alley. The man walked after the woman with arrogance and raised his hand in front of him, his palm faced where the woman had hidden herself. He smirked and a magical glowing circle appeared under his feet.

A small black flame formed and then was shot into the darkness. After several seconds, an explosion with purple flames engulfed the entire alley and smoke rose into the atmosphere. The falcon circled above the flames and around the smoke in search for its master. It screeched as if calling for the one it is looking for.

Red flames circled the red-eyed man and shot at him from all directions. A cloud of dust had spread throughout the perimeter blinding the group.

"Let us skip time. This battle will last for a long time and I do not think you would want to see more," explained Haru.

"Wait…" Viet said softly. "I hear footsteps." Suddenly a wave of water jumped over them and splashed onto the ground, sweeping away the debris. A man with blonde hair and a hooded cape jumped from a building in front of the group and ran towards the alley where the Viet look-alike was. Viet ran after him to see more. Lukas immediately chased after her and Michelle and Monica followed because they were afraid to be alone.

They saw the man bent down, holding the shoulders of the wounded woman. The falcon swooped down and landed on the man's shoulder to look into the face of its female master. A teal colored snake slithered from out of the man's cape and wrapped itself onto the left arm of the woman which was severely burned. Its eyes gave off a light-blue colored light and the burns started to heal into unharmed flesh and skin.

"Thank you." The dark-haired female then stood up slowly and the man kept his hands around her, ready to catch her if she fell.

"Are you okay?" asked the man. Lukas was slightly stunned as he saw his face on the man and a similar cross barrette that kept part of his bangs back like his own.

"I think so. I did not expect him to find me so fast. Look out!" warned the woman. Another black flame shot at them.

A blinding light flashed in front of the present day group's eyes once more. They then find themselves standing in the middle of a town square of some sort. There was no sign of anything or anyone alive in the burnt and broken buildings. The sky was gray with smoke but there were no signs of a fire anywhere.

"Where are we?" asked Michelle. She stared at the deserted with disbelief along with her comrades.

"There is no one here. Are you two sure that we are seeing the right memories of yours?" Monica inquired the animals.

"After those who were alive from the attack had fled the city, were saved, or captured, the fires calmed and the area became deserted. It was a day after that happened that we went back to check on the city."

"It wasss alssso the time where we had lassst ssseen our masstersss."

"What?" Viet and Lukas asked in shock.

The sound of running footsteps was heard a distance away. From a dirt road came the man and woman running away from a large dark cloud chasing after them. The other roads soon became engulfed by more black clouds, trapping the Asian and European in the town square.

"Shoot," muttered the Lukas look-alike. He and the woman stood back to back to analyze the whole area to see if there was a way to escape. Sweat rolled down the woman's forehead. Her eyes scanned the view in front of her frantically. Her legs were apart, ready to run when the time came.

A booming voice echoed from the sky, "Now look where you have found yourselves guardians of the Fire Bird and the Water Dragon. Give back what you have taken from me."

"Is that a demand? We will not listen to those who chose to do harm to the land and force the people of this earth against each other. To tell them that they held dark magic that they would use against each other… Do you know what you have done?" cried the woman.

"Even if we wanted to obey, though I doubt that, we do not have the power to bring you to your 'original' form," the man said.

"So be it. See your people fight against each other in pure hatred!" The clouds that filled the roads disappeared to show people that stood in its place with dull, emotionless eyes. One side of the square had people with dark hair and a yellow tone to their skin while the other side was filled with white skinned people with brown and blonde hair color. Their fogged eyes soon cleared and when their sights landed on the people in front of them, hatred was ignited.

"You white devils will pay for your damage on Asia! Your black magic will not penetrate our hope with our pure power!" yelled someone from the Asian side of the square.

"What are you saying? You are the ones that hold the black magic and want to invade and conquer Europe!" came back a German accent.

"Liars! Let us fight until the end to keep our freedom!" The Asians roared and lifted their fists in agreement.

"Stop this!" cried the Viet look-alike. "If we continue this fighting, what will it achieve? We have heard that the Europeans wanted to take over our world but what proof is there? If we fight, it will only create more flames between our two continents."

"Who told our leaders that the other continent wanted to conquer each other? How can you call yourself men when we only listen to what we want to hear and not to what is actually going on?" questioned the man who looked like Lukas.

The words silenced the men who then thought about these questions and tried to remember the events that led to where they were now. None had answers to any of the questions asked.

Suddenly a strong gust of wind traveled around the crowd making them frantic and confused. Six shadows gathered in a circle around the man and woman and six ghostly figures rose from the shadows. Their skin was pale and they had no faces. Their bodies were long and skinny, their clothing was black and so was their straight hair that hung over their slumped shoulders.

They glided around the man and woman but instead of attacking them, they moved faster than the couple's eyes could see to attack the people that stood on the roads that led to the town square. Person after person fell down with their blood splattering either on the people in front of them or behind them.

The six ghostly figures returned to where they once stood around the man and woman. Raging flames appeared on the border lines of where the roads met the opening to the center of the city.

"Everyone, run away from here!" ordered the woman. It took only a few second for the men that stood on the roads to run away from the city's center after they heard the command.

The woman ran towards the ghostly figure in front of her and threw a punch set on flames at it, only to learn that it moved to fast for her to land a hit. She stumbled and then felt a stinging pain in her stomach. She slowly looked up to see the figure standing in front of her with its arm, shaped like a knife, piercing her stomach.

It pulled back its arm making her fall and landing on her side, her hands wrapped around her bleeding abdomen. Water was shot at the figure, hitting it and making it being thrown into the flames that still encircled them. The man ran to the woman and was talking to her to see if she was okay but his voice was muted by a deafening screech.

The dark figures glided in a circle around them, ready to strike. A falcon flew from the sky and its feathers became flames. It slashed one of the ghosts, setting it on fire and then it disappeared. A snake appeared from under the man's cloak and its body became water. The snake hissed and in surprising speed, it strikes the figure in front of it and engulfed it in water.

The figure struggled but the torrent of the water kept it escaping. Soon enough it disappeared without a trace.

"Are you sure about this? You're still hurt." Viet and Lukas heard the man and wondered what he meant by that.

"We have to… We can't defeat them now but we have to stop them somehow! If the Seraphim continue, there will be no way for anyone to survive their wrath. They turned us against each other and one day, we will all go extinct. Their leader is desperate right now and I don't think he will show us mercy like last time… Please," plead the woman.

The man was silent as he took in her words. "Be careful," was all he said.

He helped the woman stand up and they held hands, not wanting to let go. Tears could be seen forming in the woman's eyes but she held them back. Two large circles with writing that the group could not read and designs that were alien to them, formed at the feet of the man and woman, glowing red and blue.

Fire and water mixed without extinguishing each other and they circled around the man and woman whose eyes were closed.

"The both of you are fools to think that you can destroy me with what power you have. Die and let this world be at peace from the fighting that you humans have brought to this beautiful land!" roared the voice from the sky.

Clouds swirled in the sky and the wind roared in defiance of the man's and woman's actions. The dark figures disappeared and the water snake and flaming bird returned to their natural forms.

"You are the one who is the fool, leader of The Seraphim."

"Let the heat of the flames rise and entrap the darkness…"

"…and allow the waters to wash away the pain."

"Dear Fire Bird, guarding the skies, come down from your haven to brighten up this darkness."

"Mighty Water Dragon, protecting the seas, rise up from your refuge to cleanse the world of its wounds."

The wind roared even louder, trying to block the voices calling out for creators of life and takers of death. The fire and water that encircled them had widened and now surrounded the city. The magical lights that were underneath their feet also grew but was only as large as half of the town square.

The man and woman could feel their energy being sucked out of them as the dark clouds above them started to move towards them yet tried to move from their magical grasp that was pulling it down.

A screech of a large bird was heard above the clouds and a roar came from the crashing seas. A phoenix dressed in flames swooped down and flew in circles around the cloud that was being sucked into the center of Athens. The dragon with scales of a translucent blue and a mane made out of water, also circled the cloud. A tornado of fire and water covered the surface of the cloud making its movements faster and indicating their power made the spell stronger.

"Seal this darkness and let this world be at peace for centuries more," the man and woman said in unison. The sky became clear and blue as the dark clouds disappeared into the center of Athens, not to be seen for another two hundred years.

The magic circle at their feet vanished and so did the flames and liquid that surrounded the city. The man and woman collapsed onto their knees and the dragon and phoenix returned to the sea and sky. The bodies of the couple started to become transparent and particles of light glittered in the sun's rays as it flew off of their body.

"Master!"

"Massster!" The past Haru and Hydra were shocked by their companions' disappearance.

"Haru… Do not try to bring us back. This is the price for sealing the Seraphim. They will slowly return to this world and try once more to bring destruction," explained the woman weakly.

"We need you to keep an eye on them for us…*pant*…We could feel that the Seraphim had cast a curse on the Earth making them forget what just happened," the man said this time.

"What do you mean by what jussst happened?"

The man gave a sad smile and turned his head to the woman. She understood what he was thinking and she hugged him ready to say goodbye. He hugged her back, taking in her scent and touch.

A dark maroon feather and a clear scale floated down and landed on their shoulders. They turned into a light that spread over their transparent bodies and they could hear the messages and spell that comforted their hopes.

"Our descendants shall one day save the land." The woman chuckled and felt that a blessing finally was given. Their bodies were almost gone but they smiled with hope.

"Haru, Hydra, no matter how long you must wait, go to our descendants and teach them about this darkness and lead them to the light. We trust that the both of you can do this job."

"Of course. We shall not fail our masters…" Haru shakily said. Now only, their head existed and hovered in the air.

The man and woman closed their eyes and the last of them drifted off into the wind. Michelle and Monica had tears streaming down their faces and Viet's eyes were closed, refusing to accept the fate that hers and Lukas' ancestors faced. Lukas stared with discontent in his eyes as he saw the lone animals hurting from the loss of the ones they loved.

Another light flashed and the group found themselves back in the room that they started to discuss about the situation.

"Isss that enough proof for you to believe usss now?" asked the snake sorrowfully.

"It is," replied Lukas. He wondered why he believed in this hurtful illusion that he thought as a possibility to be false information. His heart trembled though and he accepted what he had seen.

"It seems that you remember all of this now after two hundred years? How is that possible?" asked Viet.

"Over time the curse wore off. We believe that it became that way because the Seraphim thought that the ones that they had cursed would eventually die and at their moment of death, they will remember for a brief second and then they are gone. They most likely thought it was okay for the curse to wear off since they saw no harm to it but they either forgot about us or they thought we would die like everyone else."

"Do not explain thisss to anyone jussst yet. There may be sssome people who are already posssesssed by sssome messsengersss from the Ssseraphim and othersss who will not believe the ssstory."

"Little ones, what we need to do now are to leave at once. The orbs must be in your grasp otherwise it will be more difficult to save your world and end this war. We know where they are and we shall lead you to them."

Monica dried her tears and her face became serious. She was intent on helping her friends and ending this war. "If we should leave, let it be tomorrow afternoon. I can schedule for this to happen."

"If that is the case, we should stop at Egypt and split from there. I will head to Turkey and then find my way home. It will be easier on me that way," explained the Vietnamese woman.

"I can probably go as far as Egypt. Well, as long as I get to see you guys go to your respective continents safely then I think that's okay!" the Seychellois cheerfully said.

"It has been about three weeks since the battle in Seoul. If my little brother survived that and is on his way back to Europe then he should be arriving in about a week to Egypt, saying that he is going to be there. I can leave with him from there. We just have to keep a lot of things hidden."

"Then it is settle," said Haru. "Let us head off tomorrow and we shall explain more on the way.

* * *

_What a long chapter but I think it's worth it. What do you readers want next for the next chapter? I have ideas but I think I'll go with what you guys vote for or something like that. I don't know if I can keep one chapter from action or violence though or at least for a while. Well, please R&R or give me ideas for the next chapter!_


	11. Chapter 11

_Disclaimer: I do not own the anime, characters, maybe settings and a lot of other stuff that may be mentioned._

_Ayumi Kudou: I like that group name. There are so many trios/groups out there in the Hetalia World._

_I'll clear some information up in this chapter or so I hope. I realized that I didn't clear up some stuff last chapter so this chapter should do it. What I think is strange is that I already have the ending for the story even though I skipped a lot of info in-between. Oh, and tell me if something doesn't make sense and I will (saying that I remember) to clear it up if possible._

* * *

It was three days after the departure on the Monegasque's ships which were on their way to Egypt. Questions were asked and confusion soon turned into understanding with the telepathic animals and humans, particularly Viet and Lukas.

They had asked why Haru said that that was how the war started when they seemed to have been at the climax of the beginning of the war. He answered saying that was in the beginning and just sounded like it made more sense at the time. Hydra added that they forgot the names of their previous masters over time due to the curse and old age. Michelle didn't seem to be convinced but accepted the answer.

Darkness and little dots of twinkling light covered the sky. The moon was almost full as it floated in the night sky and faintly glowing a silver-ish light. Lukas sat against the foremast and looked at the stars above him but was deep in thought of how his family was. He had gotten word that none of the representatives of the nations were killed beside himself who many thought had died in the ocean when the phoenix had swept him into the sea. It relieved him but it worried him when he thought of his little brother who might be worried for him.

"Can't sleep?" The feminine voice startled him and he looked back to see Viet standing behind the pole he sat against, her arms loosely hanging at her sides. She sat on the opposite side of the foremast and pulled her knees to her chest then wrapped her arms around her legs.

"No… What about you?"

"I guess I'm just anxious to get home and see everyone again and then take a small break to go back to Vietnam and search for the orb. All we learned this past week is just buzzing through my mind so quickly that I'm still trying to comprehend what we've just seen and experienced."

"It seems that I'm in a similar situation. I've been thinking about my little brother and then that idiot of a Dane and my other two friends." Viet chuckled softly at his insult of who seems to be his friend that seems annoying.

"Tell me how you came to be who you are Lukas, if you don't mind me calling you by just your name so informally."

"Then I guess that means I'll be calling you Viet," Lukas monotonously said.

"That's fine by me." There was a minute of silence as they thought about their stories of how they started their military lives. Lukas cleared his throat and began.

"I was probably seven when I lost my father in the war. I was at home with my mom and my little brother when it happened. Afterwards, there was a raid and my mom got killed. She was out shopping and I was at home looking after my lillebror. I remember hearing the sirens blaring and we were hiding in the bomb shelter in my backyard. It was dark and the screams of people dying filled the night air. I was hugging my lillebror close to me and he was crying for some time. We sat in the corner, hoping for out mom to come back but she never came. After the raid, a Norsk soldier found us and took us to the orphanage. It wasn't until later that my lillebror and I had to split up to different foster families."

"Don't use a lot of Norwegian. It confuses me. What was your little brother's name?" Viet asked, cutting off Lukas.

"His name was Emil. Sorry about that. Anyway, I was able to see him once a year and contact him whenever I wanted as I grew up. The foster family I was given had a military background so as I grew, I learned to fight, to take orders, to give orders and tactics on fighting a battle. Emil learned this as well since he also lived in a military family in Iceland. Long story short, we both lived separately after our parents died and were raised to be soldiers."

"You're lucky…" Viet said enviously.

"What?" Lukas was confused and wondered what Viet meant. She lowered her head towards her knees and closed her eyes slightly.

"I guess that means that it's my turn to tell my story. When I was about five Europeans massacred my village with probably only me and two other people surviving the raid. I saw my parents die right in front of my eyes. My father was shot in the head and I saw my mother burn to death. When I was at the brink of death, I was saved by a man who became my older brother as I grew up. For some reason, I dreamt about this and it was the night when I finally woke up from our fall off the cliff. Back to topic; now he is the representative of China, Wang Yao. He taught me many different martial arts and tactics. As I grew he adapted more siblings making one big family. I still lived in Vietnam by myself but I found myself either visiting Yao or being visited by him and my younger siblings. They were lost and lonely children when their parents were gone but Yao and I raised them to be cheerful and sharp at the same time. I took the responsibility of taking caring them if Yao was out which was often but not often enough to make me tired out completely."

"It sounds that you had a busy life besides military and political work."

"Definitely and honestly, it was harder to take care of them than to discuss about politics or plan for the upcoming battle." Viet shifted into a more comfortable position but then decided to actually sit next to Lukas who gave her a confused, emotionless look but shrugged and continued staring at the sky. "Have you gotten closer to your brother?" Viet asked changing topics.

"A bit, but there are some things that I miss about him. When we were younger he used to call me 'Big Brother' but nowadays he refuses to call me that. Do you see anything wrong with him calling me 'Big Brother'?"

"Not at all. My younger siblings call me big sister in their native language all the time. For us Asians, it is respectful to call your older siblings with a name that means older sister or brother," Viet explained.

"Now I think I will call you lucky… Emil was cute when he used to say it." Viet gave a small smile but hid it from Lukas' sight. Suddenly a thought came up and her curiosity started to stir.

"I was curious Lukas; I noticed that curl that sticks out from your head. What is it?" Viet asked innocently, thinking that it looked quite similar to the strange strands of hair that stood out of her Taiwanese sister, Mei's, and her two Korean brothers, Hyung Soo's and Yong Soo's, head. "I didn't notice it until a few days ago."

Lukas slightly blushed and turned his head away from Viet. She sat at the opposite end of where his floating curl was on his head luckily. "It's nothing important. Just don't touch it, okay." Lukas made it sound like more of a command than a request but Viet didn't mind because it seemed personal and not really important.

"That's fine. I was just curious." They both sat in silence, not knowing what to say to each other now. Michelle and Monica stood on the quarter deck, watching the two sitting awkwardly around each other and getting somewhat distracted by the flapping of the mast on the mainmast. Viet and Lukas did not notice that they were being watched and so sat silently still.

Michelle huffed in disappointment and crossed her arms as she saw her Vietnamese friend being unsociable with a man who she thought was a perfect match for Viet. "They were doing so well too! We need to bring the mood back Monica," whined the Seychellois.

Monica sighed, thinking that such actions were pointless during this time period with the war going on. "Are you sure about this? Think about what Europe and Asia are going through right now. From what I see as well, they are just friends and if they really want to be together, let them work it out. It's not for us to decide," scolded the Monegasque.

"But Monica, Viet needs to experience some romance in her life. She refused to flirt with anyone when she stayed with us and Francis and I can't let her regret not feeling that kind of love if she died! I'm not saying that she will but we can't always be sure if they might actually meet again." Monica was silent understanding but disapproving the situation.

"I don't know…"

"Please! By talking to her for the past few weeks, she has had no interaction whatsoever over these fifteen some years. We both know the joy and pain of making love and when Viet experiences this, she won't be prepared and might mentally break down."

"It sounds like you have been thinking about this for a while Michelle. I won't guarantee you any results but we can try. What do you have planned?" Michelle asked, giving into her friend's motivation and persuasion.

A slightly dark smiled formed on Michelle's face but her ideas were not as dark as her appearance. Monica stood there, unsure of what to do. "You brought your violin, right?"

"Romantic music? They'll probably just stare and find out where the music is coming from."

"It's worth a try~" Monica sighed then walked to her room to get her violin. Michelle turned to look at the couple again and smiled sadly at herself. "To have true love though is a completely different matter." She rested her head on her arms that lay on the railing of the boat.

Monica came back with a small rectangular case that contained her violin. She opened the case that revealed a mahogany violin with white strings that stood out on the dark colors and a matching bow in color and string. Monica adjusted the shoulder rest and chin rest then tuned her violin quietly, turning some pegs either to loosen or tighten the six different strings. Next, she held her bow gently and placed it on the violin. Monica soon glided the bow across the strings effortlessly creating beautiful music playing "Romance No. 2" by Beethoven.

Viet's head perked up to the sound of the music and curious who was playing but then she realized that it could only be one person who she knew would bring her violin when she visited someone and the style of the music was also familiar.

"Who's playing?" asked Lukas. He was about to stand up to look for the musician but Viet tugged his sleeve not to go.

"Monica is playing. I know when it's her anywhere so just sit and relax. I don't know why she is playing it now but it's calming and I am not in the mood to stop that music now." Viet closed her eyes and images started playing in her mind. Lukas looked at Viet who showed no signs of curiosity then sat back down and followed her example. A rush of sleepiness overcame Viet's body and she started to feel herself drift off and her head moving to the side.

Lukas was somewhat surprised when he saw the Vietnamese woman sleeping on his shoulder. He smirked at how music could just make the Asian sleep so quickly and then he adjusted himself to make Viet more comfortable. He realized that she looked adorable when she was asleep and reminded him of his little brother when he was younger. She was in a sense, like a little sister to him for the moment since she needed support as she was asleep sitting.

He poked his finger against Viet's cheek to see if she would wake up but she was oblivious to his teasing. Lukas relaxed his shoulders a little then looked out into the open sea. So far, the trip was peaceful and he hoped that it would stay that way. He shouldn't have thought of that though.

The ship rocked violently causing him to slide down the floor and waking up Viet.

"Wahh!" Michelle and Monica screamed by the sudden movement. Monica was able to put her violin away but Michelle tripped and landed against the railing of the quarter deck. Large, black tentacles were raised much higher than the main mast of the ship and it crashed into the boat, not breaking it but wrapping it around the boat, trying to bring it under the water.

Lukas shot water at the tentacle, detaching the tentacle from the large body underwater. A loud growl filled the air around them. The sun was starting to rise and the shadow under the surface of the water was now visible. Viet's eyes widened when she saw a large round shape beneath the ship. Multiple tentacles shot out of the water and started taking men off the boat and drowning them in the water as they were running from under the deck.

Cannons from the other two boats fired at the tentacles. It must have felt the pain because when the tentacles were hit, they dropped whatever they were holding and sank back down into the water.

"It is another beast!" cried Haru as he soared above the tentacles. Hydra hissed and slithered onto a wooden barrel.

"It looksss like an octopusss thisss time. Watch each othersss back," warned the teal-colored snake. The head of the ghostly creature rose above the water to show its mouth under its head, facing the ship. The mouth opened and small, sharp teeth were displayed only to show the creature's hunger. It screeched and a black sphere started to form outside of the opening of the mouth. The octopus' tentacles flailed wildly as it shot the dark sphere at the ship. Viet ran to the end of the boat and created a large fire wall, blocking the sphere from hitting the boat but exploding once it touched the flames. Smoke traveled around the ship and up into the sky.

The octopus went back underwater and swam to the opposite end of the boat.

"And when I thought this was going to be smooth sailing," Lukas said.

"Don't jinx yourself too much. I don't want to go through this more than what I should," Viet told Lukas.

"Can you two stop flirting and kill that thing already!" yelled Michelle hugging the mainmast in fear. Viet was confused by what she meant and Lukas couldn't help but chuckle in his thoughts. His face was emotionless still and he used his sword to cut a tentacle that was aiming for him.

Another tentacle aimed for Michelle and Monica but Viet fired a blast of flames at it then cut it with her spear.

"This is going to take a while," was all Viet could say at the moment.

* * *

_Cliff hanger~ Yeah, this chapter had a lot of fluff but my mind wanted to write fluff so I wrote fluff. I would write Vietnamese in here if I could fit it in somehow and it made sense to me but for some reason I just couldn't fit it in. Norwegian though, worked out for me. Thank you Google translator for that part. _

_I'm Vietnamese born in **** so yeah… My speaking sucks but I can somewhat read and understand pretty well if spoken to. Well, I hope you liked this fluffy chapter so please R&R. I would appreciate it desu~_


	12. Chapter 12

_Disclaimer: I do not own the anime, characters, maybe settings and a lot of other stuff that may be mentioned._

_Ayumi Kudou: I will keep it in mind but I'm unsure if I can make them fight Steve. If they were to go into the house, it would take several chapters unless I just make them blow it up but I'll try. The Innocent gone Bad Trio… I understand how Liechtenstein and Italy are yandere but what about Canada? He has to be protective over someone to be yandere._

_Lucestellare: I never expected this chapter to be that cute but okay~ I'm glad you like it anyway. I guess you can call it the kraken but it's still a creature of the Seraphim._

* * *

The rocking of the boat was unsteady making hard to run on the boat and the water splashing onto the floor just made it even more difficult. Lukas, Viet and the cannons of the other two ships were able to cut off four tentacles of the octopus but the remaining four tentacles still proved to be deadly as it knocked off some parts of the ship and killed men one after another.

Monica was stressed out for her men weren't strong since they were leant by France and she had no army of her own. That didn't mean she tried her best but it was a bit of a pain for her to fight in battles when she had to. This moment was no exception as she tried to order her men to get in position and fight but one by one did they get wiped off the deck and slammed into the ocean.

Haru soared in the sky looking to see if there were any weaknesses that he would be able to see from above. Hydra swam in the ocean and tried to notice anything from her place but the reptile and bird found it difficult as most of its body was submerged in sea water.

The aquatic creature rose above the surface once more and opened its mouth forming another black orb. Lukas got the water on the deck and quickly moved it to where the black orb was aiming to block it from attacking. It surprised Viet and Lukas as the mouth moved its mouth toward the sky and shot it into the air. The dark ball stayed in midair for a few seconds then plunged down, aiming at the center of the boat.

Lukas tried to move the water above the ship but it was too late as the ball of energy exploded as it touched the ship. A cloud of smoke drifted upwards toward the sky and the ship started to sink, bringing the people down with it. Luckily all of those who were still alive could swim and they tried to move towards the boat.

Two tentacles rose above the surface of the water and slammed down to grab Lukas and Viet, pulling them down under the water. They struggled trying to loosen the grip of the octopus but failed. Lukas was able to make a bubble of air around his head allowing him to breath but he was not able to make one for Viet for she was too far away and he did not have much strength to make one for her.

_'Dammit,' _thought Viet as she could feel the pressure of water piling up on top of her. She clenched her teeth and tried to peer through the water to see if there was anything she could do. Viet noticed the movement of the octopus as it moved its tentacles of its right side and left side. The right was not as flexible and energetic as its left side which held her. She focused her thoughts and then a fireball shot at the right side that held Lukas, hitting the octopus and making it screeched in pain.

From the pain, the octopus hesitantly let go of Lukas but still kept swimming deeper into the ocean and still bringing Viet with it. The bubbles and current from Viet's underwater attack blurred Lukas' sight as he tried to swim and see where he could free Viet. He then swam farther into the ocean but had no luck in catching up with the octopus. Hydra appeared in front him and stared at him.

"Lukasss, you can do much better than that. Try making the water move you," advised the snake. It took a while to comprehend what Hydra said to him but then he realized what she meant. He moved his body where his face was facing the dark deep of the water and his feet facing the sky and allowed his energy to move toward his feet. With the small blast of energy, the water propelled and moved Lukas in a jet-like speed catching him up with the octopus.

Viet lost her breath and became unconscious as the water rushed into her lungs and nose. She heard water moving quickly and a quick _splat_ before she completely could not think any further. The pressure around her body that once held her tightly and pulling her down into the ocean was released and then something grabbed her from under her arms and she was quickly brought up above the water surface.

Michelle and Monica were in one of the two ships that survived the attack and Monica's men lifted Lukas and Viet from out of the water. Lukas panted for breath but Viet did not seem like taking in and breathing out air.

Hydra, mysteriously on board the ship, slithered to Viet and climbed onto her chest. She hissed then her eyes glowed for about a minute until the discordant sounds of coughing and water splashing was heard.

Viet felt that her lungs were congested as she coughed out the sea water that left a horrible taste of salt on her tongue. She took in deep breaths until she felt that she was better.

"What happened?" asked the Vietnamese woman. Her eyes fluttered trying to make out the figures around her.

"Lukas saved you from the octopus but you already swallowed a lot of water when he got you on deck! Then Hydra used her powers and her eyes glowed as she was on your chest and somehow you were able to live!" cried Michelle in joy. Viet slowly got up and she was hugged tightly by the Seychellois only to find herself not being able to breathe once more.

"Ms. Michelle, you're choking her," Lukas said without any emotion as usual.

"Ah! Sorry Viet! Are you okay?" questioned Michelle worriedly.

Viet rubbed her throat but slightly smiled and answered, "I'm not getting drowned by an octopus so I think I'm okay. Thank you, Lukas and Hydra. I thought I was going to die for a moment."

"Luckily, you were able to see the weaknesss of the beassst. I sssaw that it'sss right tentaclesss had lessss momentum than itsss left ssside but I had no time to tell the both of you in time."

Monica walked up to Viet and Lukas and gave them both dry towels. "Dry up and change. With that much intake of salt water, I would think you would need fresh water. Am I correct?" asked Monica.

"Definitely," replied Viet. She unsteadily stood up and was in place for a while before she felt confident that she could walk properly. Viet walked with Monica inside who was explaining how they were able to retrieve their clothing that were in the wooden boxes and were floating in the sea.

Lukas stared at the two until they disappeared. He turned around to be surprised by a smirking Michelle behind him. "What?" he asked.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe it is just that you received more trust from my dear friend Viet who I think has taken a liking to you as you have taken a liking to her~" she sang.

"What are you talking about?" the Norwegian asked with a blank face. Michelle spun around twice as if she were dancing then skipped off.

"Nothing~" she kept singing happily. Lukas stared at her with the thought that she was stranger than Viet but not in the way that he really liked.

The sun rose three mornings after until one of Monica's men called out, "Land ho!" As he said, land was able to be seen from far way with the flag of Egypt standing tall for many to see. Lukas stood at the side of the ship looking at the land in front of him with many tan colored to brown colored buildings. Already could he feel the heat from the sun rising up from the ground even though the star wasn't even high in the sky.

Drops of sweat started to form on the back of his neck. He breathed in and out slowly, trying to keep himself cool.

"It seems that you are starting to feel the torture of the hot weather," a voice said behind him. Lukas turned his head to see Viet walking up next to him. "Then again, we are in Egypt."

"The last time I was here was at the European base at the city here was a few weeks ago before the Nordics got ready for battle at Seoul. I feel that it has gotten much warmer than last time," he said with concern in his voice.

"Hmm. Well, I can't vouch anything since I wasn't with you. Do you think it could be the increase in heat that we aren't use to going around this close to the equator?" Viet asked.

"Maybe but I don't know." Lukas scanned the horizon and the rest of the ocean to see familiar ships resting at the docks already. "It seems that the last of the Nordic fleet have arrived here already."

Viet moved her eyes to where Lukas was staring and saw the ships that were on the shores of southern Korea except with dents, broken wood and more torn parts then when she had last seen them which seemed like they were newly made. "It looks like I will have to get my cloak. If you need me Lukas, I will be in my cabin with Michelle and Monica," she told Lukas.

The Norwegian nodded his head and returned to staring at the remaining ships that did not get completely destroyed from the battle. He wondered how his little brother and friends were doing. The thought of how many men he had left also came across his mind.

It was around noon until the Monegasque ships docked at the dock (Haha. Docked at the dock). The crew was greeted by a handful of dark-skinned people with cloth covering their heads and light-colored, long-sleeved shirts or dresses that covered the rest of their skin from the burning rays of the sun. The sailors of the ship started to carry loads of boxes off of the ship down the ramp while Lukas walked with Monica and Michelle to a man that seemed much more expressionless and unsociable than Lukas. Hydra hid in a bag that the Norwegian carried on his belt with his sword.

Viet walked several feet behind them hidden under a hooded cloak that covered her face and body to keep any Europeans from recognizing her. The man walked away with Michelle to talk to her in private either because he was shy to speak to people he did not really know or for a mysterious motive that no one could guess what it was.

Michelle walked back to talk to Lukas and Michelle briefly then ran up to Viet. She said, "Egypt said that he will keep your identity a secret and he will give us some lodgings. You just have to keep low and not make any ruckus while we're here. He also explained that in about two days he can lead you to the boat that will take you to Turkey safely. Isn't that great?"

"I think I can lie low for the next couple of days. It shouldn't be that hard unless I'm thought as suspicious but I'll keep out of the way of the representatives of the Nordic countries. Do not worry Michelle," the Vietnamese assured her friend.

"Okay, then. Let's go and-," the Seychellois stopped talking as she heard a loud scream from the distance. A man with gravity-defying (or so what so many people have described), blonde hair ran towards the representatives only to glomp the Norwegian who started to become irritated and trying to push the larger man off of him.

"Lukas! You're alive!" cried the man excitedly.

"Get off of me Matthias!" Lukas yelled with annoyance. Three more men walked toward them with shock and joy filling their eyes.

"Is that really you Lukas?" asked the man with feminine features upon his face, golden blonde hair, and violet orbs gleaming in his eye sockets.

"The one and only…" Lukas was exhausted from struggling out of Matthias' grasp but was able to free himself with the help of the larger and more terrifying man of the three men that walked to Lukas after Matthias had tackled him.

"We're glad you're safe," the tall man said bluntly and in a baritone voice.

"Thanks Tino, Berwald."

The shortest of the men, the one with silver-ish blonde hair and violet eyes, stood silently and stared at his brother, unsure of what to say.

Lukas walked up to him and patted his head. "I'm glad to see that your safe lillebror," the Norwegian said with slight excitement in his voice.

"Don't call me that Lukas!" the younger man said, his face red with embarrassment. Viet couldn't help but smile to herself as she saw the reunion of Lukas with his brother and friends. She recognized them as the representatives of Denmark, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland from the pictures that she saw before the battle started in Seoul.

Emil saw the hooded figure staring at them or so he thought he saw her staring. Viet was shocked to be seen but tried to remain her cool and slowly walked away from the dock to the mainland, followed by Michelle. Emil felt a strange aura coming from the figure. In his mind a voice said, _there is something about that person that seems conspicuous, no? Should we find out who that person is?_

_No, we shall wait until later after I make sure that my brother is surely safe,_ replied Emil with his own mind.

Lukas caught his brother staring and started to slightly panic. Viet had walked away into the crowd in the streets of the town, disappearing into the sea of people making his heart regain its original rhythm of beating.

"So, where's the little lad that helped you survive?" asked the Dane as he placed his arm around Lukas' shoulder.

"She just left into the town. Why?" Lukas replied.

"Oh ho ho! A girl saved you? I think you finally grew up Lukas," teased Matthias. He received a hit on his head from the Norwegian who was irritated.

"It's not like that, first of all. I have no doubt we will see her soon but as of now, I'm tired and I guess I'll be explaining stuff to you about my survival or whatever you would like to call it."

"Actually Lukas, I was wondering about the Asian commander that fell with you after the phoenix thing swept you into the ocean. Have you seen her?" asked Tino.

"Well, I found a piece of wood that was floating and grabbed onto it. A storm came and the next think I know, I'm in a bed where the representative of Seychelles took care of me." Lukas paused, thinking of what to say. "After I awoke I walked around the village to find the Asian wandering around the island. We fought, she escaped, I haven't seen her since."

A wave of worry came upon the faces of the four men that were not Lukas. "Then that could mean she can still find her way to Asia and help with their battles," Berwald said.

Lukas faked an apologetic look or the best that he could muster from his usually stoic expression. "I apologize for not going after her. That should have been my priority."

"There's no need for you to apologize Lukas. You were probably too weak from being swept into sea to look for her. What matters is that you are alive," said Emil. Lukas pinched his cheek as if he were just a baby.

"That is one of the most adorable things that you have said to me lillebror," Lukas said. Emil pulled himself away from his brother's pinch and rubbed his face.

"Well, with that over, why don't we get ourselves a drink to celebrate Lukas' return!" the Dane cheered. They walked off into the small town but the shadow attached to Emil seemed to move on its own, keeping its eye out for the hooded person.

* * *

_Who needs CPR when you have a magical healing snake?! I didn't want Michelle to get ideas if Lukas was able to do CPR and yeah… Just wanted to make this slow *gives off a slightly I'll-torture-you-with-not-getting-too-intimate face*. Also wanted to say that they now see each other as close friends or sibling kind of love… Just to throw that out there._

_Hope you guys like this chapter and please R&R~ I would appreciate it._


	13. Chapter 13

_Disclaimer: I do not own the anime, characters, maybe settings and a lot of other stuff that may be mentioned._

_Ayumi Kudou: I describe his hair that way because everyone else does but I don't really care. Honestly deep down in the darkest corner of my heart, I believe that his hair is just really messy and spikey either because he styles it that way or it's natural but not gravity defying because I see people with spikey hair, not as obnoxious as Denmark's but it's there._

* * *

The next day came and Emil looked up at the bright and burning sky where clouds would only come once or twice a year with rain. How the Egyptian people could live like this seemed insane and impossible for the Icelandic. On the other hand, he had more to think about than the weather.

He walked with his older brother that surprisingly, arrived from Seychelles a few days after he and the rest of the Nordics arrived after he was knocked into the sea of a gigantic bird covered in flames. It was early morning as he and his brother went to go shopping for any personal needs and his brother thought that they should spend some family time together, not that Emil would mind but the thought of 'family time' sounded too childish for his age. Lukas on the other hand didn't think of such activity as childish and if it was, then he didn't mind as long as he knew his brother was safe.

It joyed Emil to know that his brother was safe and not injured mentally or physically but he also saw his brother as a changed man. He couldn't put his finger on it for the change was very little and somewhat unnoticeable. Matthias, Tino, and Berwald did not see anything wrong with their Norwegian friend so the change that Emil noticed didn't seem to be important. Or at least that was what he thought.

Emil's shadow had told that he could feel some kind of power or presence emanating from his brother making him suspicious as it was suspicious of the hooded person from the day before who gave off a similar feeling. Emil did not get a good look at the person's face and so was convinced that he would not be able to recognize the person if his or her face were revealed in public. Either way, both the shadow and Emil kept their eye out for a suspicious person.

Even though the sun was just starting to rise over the horizon, many people were walking around the open-air market bargaining for food, looking at jewelry, or just wanting to see what was on sale for the day. Lukas looked around seeing the objects that were normal for many Egyptians to see but foreign to his eyes.

"This is a pretty busy crowd for the morning, isn't it Emil?" asked the Norwegian.

"Definitely. I think they are all up to go shopping before the day becomes hotter." Emil paused for a moment when he saw the representative of Seychelles also browsing through the goods with the representative of Egypt. "Hmm, seems like you'll have some competition if you want to get Ms. Michelle's heart," he said, teasing his brother.

Instead of Lukas being embarrassed by his brother's comment, he replied with his usual monotonous voice, "I don't like her that way. She's a good friend but nothing more than that and will never be anything more."

"That's harsh for you to say, Lukas."

"It's the truth, Emil." Lukas kept on walking past the two African representatives and turned a corner. Emil followed a few feet behind but ended up bumping into someone.

"Ah! I'm sorry," apologized the feminine voice. Lukas turned around to see a familiar person but with her hair tied up into a high ponytail.

"No, it's my fault for not looking," Emil said as he dusted himself off. He didn't see the woman's face when he bumped into her but when he did, his eyes slightly widened. The woman had soft features and slightly dark skin. Her eyes were a golden color and her hair was black with a high ponytail. Her face gave off an apologetic and innocent expression but he couldn't help but feel that she looked familiar. She wore a tan button-downed shirt tucked by her brown pants that were tucked into her brown boots. The person was not like the rest of the Egyptians and looked more Asian than African.

"Emil, we should be going back. We promised that we would be home around late morning and it's starting to become that time of day," Lukas called to his sibling. Emil looked up and replied that he was going to come soon. He apologized once more to the woman and ran to his brother. Lukas seemed to be scolding Emil that he was too slow and if he didn't walk faster, Lukas would leave him behind. Emil left before Lukas who turned back to see the Asian woman looking at him and mouthing the words thank you too him.

She turned around and left, disappearing into the crowd as she did the evening before. Lukas felt his insides flutter with relief as he saw the woman walk away safely and not getting into trouble with his brother or any of his friends. He started following Emil trying to catch up to him before his brother was suspicious.

Viet walked to a road that led to the area of the market that sold food. There she bought bread and salted fish and meat for her trip that would begin the next day when she left to Turkey.

As she was browsing a shop that held knives and other survival tools, she was tapped on the shoulder. She turned around to see Monica behind her.

"How are you doing with your shopping Viet?" asked the Monegasque. Viet smiled and turned her body around to completely face her friend.

"I'm doing well. I've got some of my food ready and I already bought a blanket, some rope, a carving knife, and some books just in case I'm trapped somewhere that is raining or has a dust storm and the such," the Vietnamese woman replied.

Monica chuckled and sarcastically asked, "You can't go anywhere without reading, can you?" On their way to Egypt, Viet was able to find some of Monica's books and read them because she didn't have anything else to do that would really interest her, until the beast came and sunk the ship that held the books.

"It was torture for me the last few days travelling here after the ship with your books got destroyed. I was enjoying learning about your country's history and I've read those novels before when we were younger so my expressions on them weren't as amusing to think of after I read them again."

"You were lucky back there," Monica said, changing the subject.

"He didn't seem to recognize me so that's fine. I changed my attire completely as well so if he saw my clothing from yesterday, he wouldn't recognize me anyway."

"You still have to be careful."

"I know. I've been trying to avoid them since yesterday. I didn't know they were coming here so I bumped into them. There are some things that we can't control." Viet picked out the rest of the items that she needed and went to the seller to buy the items. Monica walked with Viet out of the market and to the inn where the Asian stayed at. On the way, they saw Michelle and the man who everyone calls Egypt walking together.

"Bonjour Viet! Monica! How are you two today?" the Seychellois asked cheerfully. Monica and Viet walked up to their friend and greeted Michelle and Egypt (that's kind of strange to say in this story).

"We're doing fine this morning. How are you doing Michelle? Egypt?" Monica asked politely.

Egypt nodded but Michelle jumped up and down in excitement. "We are doing great this morning too! I don't know why but I'm just really excited today!"

"We can see that. Any news yet?" asked Viet smiling nervously, unsure how to react to Michelle's random excitement.

Again Egypt nodded and took out a piece of paper that was folded and handed it to Viet. Michelle then said, "Egypt talked to the representative of Turkey and he said that he would guide you through Turkey safely once you got there and Egypt wrote down the important facts of his conversation with him so you know what to expect."

"That's great. Well, I'll be going to my room in my inn and get my things ready. I'll see you soon," Viet said and left to her inn.

The dry heat made her uncomfortable for in Vietnam and many other places in Asia were humid and not as extreme in temperature. The area had little water as well and lacked a lot of color besides the glimmering ocean nearby and all the light brown and tan that covered the land. Viet walked inside a small building then walked into a court yard that led to several smaller buildings that were the rooms that customers of the inn stayed in.

Once in her room, she sorted out her belongings and packed, ready to go for the next day. Viet thought about reading her book but stopped herself and decided to learn more about Egypt (the country) by walking around the town and observing their customs.

It was near noon by now and there were children playing on the streets, women were carrying baskets with food or carrying bags with them most likely coming back home from going to the marketplace and chatting with each other. There were also men gambling on their porches and drinking.

Viet smiled to herself at the sight where people were happy but her smiled was sad and was noticed by certain European men from afar.

Matthias whistled as he looked at the small, beautiful girl that didn't look Egyptian. "What a beauty! She looks Asian though so I guess it would be a problem if I brought her home." He rubbed his head and his voice was cheerfully apologetic. It wasn't like he was insincere but that was just a part of his personality.

"I doubt she would want to come with you in the first place. For one, we're all European and second, I don't think she'll want to be with an obnoxious and annoying person like you bro," retorted Lukas.

"We saw her at the marketplace today, didn't we Lukas?" asked Emil. Lukas started to tense up that Emil remembered her but did his best to remain calm.

"More or less. You just bumped into her," Lukas replied. Tino stared at her with curiosity, wondering where he had seen her before.

Berwald saw the Finnish man staring with his confused look on his face and asked, "What are you thinking Tino?"

"She looks strangely familiar and not in a pleasant way either. For some reason, I feel that we should be cautious around her."

"Aw, come on Tino! She looks harmless and I doubt she would hurt a fly," reassured Matthias.

_I still feel something coming from her. Beware Emil, she is dangerous,_ came the voice that only Emil could here.

A falcon soared over the sky and screeched. Viet looked up and saw the bird circling over the city. Haru directed his thoughts only to Viet and said, "Watch where you are going little one. I sense the power of the Seraphim here since yesterday. I cannot determine if it is a beast or a messenger. Either way, beware of who you meet."

Viet then brought her face back down, looking in front of her to see the representatives of the Nordic countries staring at her. She panicked and started walking back from where she came from.

The men noticed her sudden reaction when they saw her. "Wait!" cried the Dane childishly. Viet started to run when she heard his voice but bumped into a large man with a thuggish face.

"I'm sorry!" Viet exclaimed. The man looked down at her with a red face as if he just drank and growled as she ran into him. He slurred something in Egyptian and grabbed Viet's wrist. She struggled from his grip but the man would not let go and started to drag Viet somewhere.

Matthias rushed to the woman to save her, Lukas followed without thinking, worried about Viet, and Emil, Tino, and Berwald were hesitant wondering why Lukas ran after Matthias but ran after the other two.

Viet saw the five Europeans running towards her, now panicking about getting harassed, her identity being revealed or getting into a situation where she had to introduce herself to them which she did not account for during her stay in Egypt. Viet quickly kneed the man in the groin and punched his face which caused him to loosen his grip on the Asian woman.

Viet pulled back her hand then kneed the man this time in the stomach, making him lean over to hold onto his stomach. Her final move was forcing her elbow down on the back of the man's head, making him unconscious. The pain in her elbow traveled up her nerves quickly but she did not wait for the pain to subside when she ran away from the man and Europeans.

Matthias stood in shock along with Emil, Tino and Berwald whereas Lukas stood there amused by her sudden action which contradicted Matthias previous thought of her. _It looks like she can handle this kind of situation. I wonder if that guy is alright though, _thought Lukas. He walked to the man crouched down, poking him with a stick that he found on the ground, seeing if he was alive. The man moaned and muttered something but did not get up.

"That was kind of surprising and scary," said Matthias, still stunned and processing what he just saw.

"That also proved that she can hurt a fly. Maybe even the smallest or microscopic of flies ever," said Tino. Emil and his shadow became definite in their suspicion.

Under his breath, Emil said to his shadow, "Something is definitely strange about her. Now you can go investigate."

_That will be my pleasure, sir._ The shadow quickly moved into the nearest shadow, and Emil's shadow became motionless like it should be.

Viet ran to her room and slammed the door behind her. She panted and was trying to put the events in order which led her to breathing heavily in her room. Haru flew to her window and chuckled at the sight of his partner.

"I saw what happened child. That was quite amusing and their faces expressed confusion so I doubt they recognized you."

The Vietnamese woman let out a sigh in relief and sat on the bed. "I think I'll spend the rest of the day in here to avoid meeting them again."

"That is understandable-." Haru stopped mid-sentence and seemed to be focusing on something.

"What's wrong Haru?" asked Viet. The falcon flapped his feathers as if he were about to attack.

"The Seraphim are near. Child do not let your guard down," warned Haru. Viet carefully looked out the window but there was no sign of any enormous animal rampaging in the city or any other signs of anything suspicious.

She pulled her head back in and looked around her room. She then sat on her bed, crisscross, and then closed her eyes, focusing on her surroundings.

Other than reading and talking on the ship, Haru and Hydra taught her and Lukas to focus and learn about their surroundings without seeing them. They were able to identify living and nonliving objects within a 20 meter diameter.

A presence of something non-human shocked Viet and the sudden jolt made her feel something that she hadn't felt in years but she couldn't remember when she had felt that way.

"Do you feel it Viet?" asked Haru. Viet nodded and concentrated once more, this time prepared for the sudden shock and was able to grasp its whereabouts longer than the first time she tried. Viet felt the presence in the shadow-covered corner of her room but she saw nothing there. She started to feel nervous as she sat there, unsure of what to do.

Her face gave a calm composure and she turned her head to find something to do. Her eyes lay on her book and she smiled to herself. She leaned over and grabbed it then turned the cover to see a picture of hieroglyphics and ancient writing. She turned the next few pages to where the book actually started and she began to read. After several minutes, she forgot that she was being watched and she was into the history and customs of Egypt, making her question the book's contents and giggle at parts that seemed amusing or make a disgusted face when she learned the procedures of how the Ancient Egyptians wrapped their mummies.

The shadow saw the falcon and instead of watching the Vietnamese girl who was now not as interesting as before for it knew who the falcon was. Haru watched Viet becoming a carefree person who no longer acted conspicuous and he did not worry about her safety too much.

He knew that one of the Seraphim was watching him now but he acted like all other birds would except with pride and a fierce look.

The shadow became bored as nothing was going on with the falcon or the female human and soon moved away, back to Emil.

Once Viet was a quarter way into the book, she felt as if the room had gotten warmer. She focused on her surroundings once more but this time did not feel anything suspicious around her. Haru shuffled his feathers and blinked several times before speaking.

"It seems that a Messenger of the Seraphim was observing us. You did well with acting naturally like that," he said.

Viet chuckled and then said, "It wasn't acting and I really forgot that we were being watched. Remind me to bring a book the next time you feel the Seraphim coming."

There was a knock on Viet's door. The Asian woman got up from her bed and opened the door to see Michelle and Monica standing outside.

"Monica, Michelle, what are you doing here?" asked Viet.

"We thought about going out to have a drink so we came wondering if you would like to join us before you leave tomorrow," Michelle said, a hint of excitement in her voice.

"Does the place where you guys are going also have food? I'm kind of hungry right now so…"

"Of course Viet," replied the Monegasque.

At the restaurant (and pub), the girls sat at a table talking nonstop about a variety of subjects that no one knows how they got there and shall remain a secret because at times it became awkward.

Ten minutes later, the alcohol came out.

"Cheers to good health!" cried the Seychellois.

"I would love to agree with you Michelle, but drinking alcohol will do the opposite of bringing us good health," said Viet with a smile that said 'this is going to be a long night'.

_Two minutes later…_

Viet sat limply on her chair and she was giving uneven laughs and hiccuping every few words she spoke.

"I can't believe that you drank four shots in two minutes and became drunk immediately after the second shot," said Monica with concern.

"I don't dwink *hic* a lot," Viet slurred.

Michelle sighed. "It looks like we'll have to bring her home."

"I can sover (I did that on purpose) up!" cried Viet and she stood up only to find herself tilting to her side.

"Woah, don't want to go too far with your drinking now, do you?" asked an unfamiliar voice.

Viet turned her head slowly and Michelle and Monica were stunned by who they saw. The Nordic representatives stood behind Matthias who was holding onto Viet's shoulder.

"Ah, it's you *hic* guys again. Stop *hic* fallowing me! I *hic* know my ethnicity *hic* and your guys' ethnicities. Don't bring twouble!"

Matthias chuckled at the sight of the drunken girl in front of him. "Do you girls mind if we sit with you guys?" he asked politely.

Lukas sensed something bad was going to happen if he was talking politely. Michelle and Monica agreed because they knew it would be suspicious if they turned the men away.

"You aren't going to sit next to her though Bro," Lukas said. "I don't care about anyone else but you because when you get drunk, it could become a problem to have two drunken people sitting next to each other."

"Aww, that's mean Lukas!" Matthias whined but Viet moved her chair next to Michelle's and grabbed Lukas' wrist and pulled him toward her.

"Because he *hic* said that, he can sit *hic* next to me since *hic* he seems responsible," Viet said clearly besides the hiccups that came from her mouth every few words she said.

Matthias looked hurt and Tino chuckled at his friend's pouting face. Emil was less suspicious, especially since she showed up in public and getting drunk but that didn't make the feeling go away. Berwald didn't say anything and just found a seat to sit in. Lukas was surprised by Viet's sudden movements but couldn't reject since her grip around his wrist was like iron.

"What's your name?" asked the Finnish man.

"You can call me Phuong," replied Viet softly. She took another glass and filled it to the brim with alcohol and brought the glass to her mouth and swallowing the drink. Michelle grabbed the glass from Viet's hand.

"You are not, I repeat, not, going to have another drink," scolded Michelle. Viet gave a face of disappointment but did not argue. Her face was red from the alcohol and her movements were unsteady. She brought out her book with shaky hands and began to read.

Monica then talked to the Nordics asking, "How do you know of Phuong? Also, since she's Asian, don't you guys have something against her? I'm friends with her because I met her on one of my travels to visit Michelle and she was different than what many people say about Asians."

"Oh Lukas over there, sitting next to Phuong and Emil who is sitting next to me bumped into her at the market place this morning and then a little bit after noon, we saw her but I guess she knew about the situation between Europe and Asia that she became nervous and started running away. The next thing we knew, we saw her getting harassed by this big drunk man and we were going to save her but then she beat up the guy until he was unconscious. That answers your first question," explained Matthias.

"We understand the history but we can't exactly blame each and every individual in Asia for the causes that has been happening. Getting to know her just as herself and not as her history is a better way to look at things, especially in a country that is neutral to the war," answered Tino for the second question.

"We don't really battle Asians that often since we don't live anywhere near them so we won't be able to see what other countries see sometimes," Emil added.

"You guys are nice people with the right minds!" Michelle cried. Viet sat, ignoring the rest of the table as they drank, ate, and talk as she read her book with interest with an uninterested face (oxymoron much?). Lukas and Berwald barely said anything throughout the whole thing.

There was a point where the whole table except for Viet was teasing Emil to call Lukas Big Brother but resulted in him leaving the table. The next topic of discussion was the history of their native countries and Viet started to become a part of the conversation but was still uncoordinated with her movements and her head was still hot from the alcohol.

It wasn't until late that night that Matthias was dead drunk, Tino trying to hold back from drinking too much despite his slightly smaller body, Berwald just sat in silence drinking slowly because he usually doesn't drink a lot nor does he get out of control and drink more than what he should and Lukas who only drank three shots throughout the whole evening. Michelle and Monica realized that if they became drunk, it would be hard for them to travel back to their lodgings and they didn't want men to try and carry them back to the place they slept. Viet on the other hand was able to sneak some more shots and was drunk once more when she was about to be sober.

Berwald and Tino were able to carry Matthias back to their place whereas Lukas was forced to bring Viet home with Michelle and Monica. The only problem was that they forced him to do it because they still believed that Lukas had a crush on Michelle but was still a false statement.

Lukas carried Viet bridal style down to her room because she passed out halfway to the inn she was staying at.

"What a night. She wasn't suspicious, was she Lukas?" asked Monica, referring to Viet.

"I don't think so. Besides, almost everyone was drunk and didn't really pay attention to the situation so I think we're fine."

"Ooh, we're here. Follow me, her room is over here." Michelle pointed out a small building that looked like a cube with slanted roofs. There was a window with a wooden covering and door looked rotted and dry.

"We'll leave you guys along because I want to get some sleep. Let's go Monica!" Michelle and Monica left Lukas before he could say anything.

The Norwegian walked to the door, struggling to open the door since he was carrying Viet bridal style but he managed to open the door. He saw the simple bed placed against the wall to his right and walked over there. Lukas gently laid Viet onto the bed. He stared at her sleeping face that was still red from the alcohol, but was still showing signs of peace.

He turned around to leave but a hand took hold of his sleeve. He looked back to see Viet's eyes slightly open and her hand on his sleeve.

"Are you okay?" Lukas asked gently. He walked back to the bed and sat at the edge. Viet could feel the heat from his body and her face reddened more.

"I'm fine. I just feel really hot right now from the alcohol… Thank you for bringing me here." She slowly sat up, Lukas quickly putting his hands around Viet's arm just in case she was about to faint or fall again. "I think I'm still drunk."

"You should just sleep then. It will be a while before you can actually move." Lukas arms still surrounded Viet's body. She leaned into his chest and snuggled up against him, causing him to blush.

"I told you I'm still drunk," said Viet before her eyes closed and she fell asleep. Lukas slowly put one arm around her and used his free hand to pat her head, as if she were a child.

"I'll see you in the morning then. Good-night Viet."

* * *

_Omake_

_Me: So I thought about doing something different towards the end and add random info or extras at the end of each chapter. What I put on may or may not relate to the story._

_Vietnam: She'll start off with relative information to the story today._

_Me: Yep! Well, we're start with some Scandinavian mythology and Chinese and Vietnamese mythology._

_In Scandinavian mythology, dragons usually lived in the sea. So that's part of why the Water Dragon in the story usually lives down there. As of Chinese and Vietnamese mythology, dragons represent masculine and phoenix represent feminine. In one of the folktales of Vietnam, the country was born by a fairy whose symbol was a phoenix and was female, fell in love with the king of the ocean or something like that who was a dragon that was male. Together they had 100 children, 50 of them that lived in the mountains with their mother and the other 50 living near the sea with their father._

_Now what is the chance that I didn't know any of this info when I began writing this story? I'd say 50/50 but either way I really didn't think of any of this while I was writing. It was complete coincidence that I had Viet-chan represents the phoenix and is a female while Nor-kun is male and represents the dragon and the dragon lives in the sea and so on. I guess I did know the info beforehand but I didn't think about it as I was writing this._

_Norway: You talk a lot._

_Me: Only because I have something to say. If I don't know what to say then I'm a mouse compared to now._

_Vietnam: Please R&R. We'd like to know your thoughts about the chapter, predictions, feelings about characters and so on._

_Me: See you guys next chapter!_


	14. Chapter 14

_Disclaimer: I do not own the anime, characters, maybe settings and a lot of other stuff that may be mentioned._

_Ayumi Kudou: Mythology is pretty cool. I love NorxViet and I love America but as much as I feel that way for my favorite characters, it's too painful to put Vietnam and America together. I read a fanfic that made me cry so I can't have them together._

_Guest: That was my minor goal, to convert people into NorxViet fans. I didn't really expect it but it's nice to know that some people like it~_

* * *

Viet felt a something softly nudging her face and making her cheek tickle. She slowly opened her golden orbs and saw a blurry close-up of a dark red-feathered bird.

"Good morning Haru," she said sleepily.

"Good morning, little one. You must get ready, we shall be leaving soon," greeted the falcon. Viet sat up slowly and tried to remember what had happened last night. She remembered going with her friends, Monica and Michelle to go out to eat and then she got drunk and then she saw the Nordic representatives but they didn't recognize her. She read her book, not wanting to be a part of the conversation and then there was an argument about being called big brother and then almost everyone else was drunk and then…

Viet blushed when she remembered that Lukas carried her home and put her to bed that night. She then sighed and scolded herself for thinking about that when she had more important things to do.

The Asian woman brushed her hair and tied it back into her regular ponytail. She changed her clothes and gathered her belongings. Lastly she put on her cloak and put the hood over her head. She had already paid for the lodging beforehand (Monica lent her some money) so Viet left without going through the lobby of the inn.

Haru soared over the sky, keeping eye out if there was any trouble heading towards Viet's way and making his presence inconspicuous. She walked to a building where a man with dark skin and a fabric hat that went down his sides and back of his head.

"How is your morning Mr. Egypt?" asked Viet politely. Egypt shook his head and turned around, walking towards the dock. Viet followed the man to a small ship.

One of the men from the crew ran up to them and greeted them. "You are the one we are to take to Turkey?" asked the man.

"I am," replied Viet. The man told her to wait a bit because they were still loading crates onto the ship for trade.

The sun was above the horizon and the heat was starting to rise up from the sand, making the morning slightly unbearable. When the ship was almost ready, Viet was told that she was able to board the ship. Before she could make a few steps, she heard the hissing of a familiar animal behind her.

"Are you leaving without sssaying goodbye?" asked Hydra, wrapped around one Lukas' shoulders.

"I was going to leave a message saying that I left," Viet said. She turned around to face Lukas who was quiet and Hydra, hissing in irritation. "I guess I should have said thank you for taking me back to my room but I felt that it would be complicated since your brother suspects me of something and then there are your friends."

"Despite how understandable that is, you still should have found a way to meet me face to face." Lukas stared at Viet and she stared back.

After a long silence, Viet finally sighed and said, "You demand too much, Lukas."

"It's just a goodbye."

"A goodbye that could cost us our lives." Now they glared at each other with irritation. Suddenly, Lukas jumped, as if to remember something he had to do. He dug into his pocket and took out a small box which he handed to Viet. "What is this?" she asked as she opened the box.

"Something for you to remember me by," replied Lukas, showing no signs of embarrassment. Inside the small rectangular cube was a pair of earrings in the shape of stars or snowflakes (they looked like both. Just to say, I'm not very good at describing clothing or jewelry that well).

"Why?" Viet asked, confused.

Lukas shrugged and answered, "Keep them with you at all times. You don't have to wear them and they might protect you one day." The men on the ship called out to Viet, saying that they were about to leave.

Viet was definitely confused now but said, "Thank you," and left.

An enormous green head floated next to Lukas that only he could see at the moment. The head had sharp ears and eyes that looked like he was going to harm you. "Are you sure you want to do this Lukas?" asked the green head.

"If I wasn't sure, I wouldn't have done it. I'm afraid that something will happen so I felt that I needed to do something. Yes, magical earrings don't seem to be her style but that was the only thing that I could make last night in two hours. Thor, do you have any better ideas that I could make within two hours and still get a good night's rest and not be suspicious?"

The troll gave a heavy sigh for an answer. Lukas walked back to the inn that he was staying at to get some breakfast.

_Time skip…_

"She left already?!" Michelle asked quite loudly. Monica also seemed disappointed that their friend had left without saying goodbye.

"She probably felt that it was necessary to leave before she could bring trouble," lied Lukas. He was left a message saying that she left to get an early start on traveling and around this time of year, there was traffic in the trade routes plus she was afraid her stay would only make her be followed by the Seraphim.

They were at a small restaurant that had decent furniture and was able to remain in good shape by the careful attention given to it by the owner. Some of the floorboards were creaking and the paintings on the wall were old and faded. Some of the wood rotted here and there and the bartender was dressed in an old fashioned vest and shirt.

Lukas was drinking coffee while Michelle and Monica were sipping their tea. Michelle was pouting but knew there was more of a reason why Viet left early that morning. The Norwegian explained that he just happened to pass by Viet and exchanged farewells, otherwise not much had happened.

The Norwegian soon excused himself for he and his crew were going to leave today as well. Michelle and Monica watched him leave.

"Looks like we're alone again Mona (Monica's nickname Michelle gave her)."

"It seems like de ja vu (how do you spell that?) all over again."

* * *

_Omake_

_Me: Yep, I'm going to end the story here and probably do a time skip from what just ended this chapter._

_China: What will you be doing today aru? _

_Me: I'm going to be impatient because there has been no blogs recently from Himaruya-sensei nor has there been any news about a new Hetaween comic this year._

_China: Last year's Halloween contest was fun. Vietnam also won with her robot costume._

_Me: And it was from that victory did I come across a NorxViet comic a year ago. That didn't convert me nor did I like it at first but a few months ago, I came across the comic again only to get more into it._

_China: Aiya! Are you saying that you are going to make them date aru?_

_Me: You didn't know that? That was why I wrote this fanfiction in the first place, well, kind of._

_Taiwan: Teacher, just let Admin take care of this stuff. I'm quite interested in this as well. Would you like some Tapioca Milk Tea animefan106?_

_Me: Boba! *grabs drink* Cảm ơn_ _Taiwan! Oh, Boba is another name for Tapioca Milk Tea which originated in Taiwan. It contains these small, chewy tapioca pearls or balls that you can eat while drinking the milk tea part which is kind of like a slushie but with milk and can come in different flavors, my favorites being taro and coffee._


	15. Chapter 15

_Disclaimer: I do not own the anime, characters, maybe settings and a lot of other stuff that may be mentioned._

_Ayumi Kudou: Those are a lot of pairings hetero pairings that I have either never heard of or have rarely seen. I'm not a big fan of yaoi or yuri so you won't be seeing any of that in this story or at least in my eyes it won't be that way. I do like friendships between people but otherwise I won't have the same gender go into a romantic relationship except for probably Sweden because he's the exception._

* * *

"Look who's here! The lost representative of Vietnam and my friend Egypt bringing her back! How did you survive Miss Viet?" asked a tall, buff man with a mask that covered his face. He had a beard starting to grow on his chin and his skin and hair were dark. He smiled with confidence at Viet and Egypt as they were boarding off the boat towards the Turkish representative.

"It's a long story Mr. Sadik," Viet told the Turk. "Well for me it is long. I have not seen you in a while. How have you been fairing?"

"I am doing fine Ms. Viet. It is good to know that you are safe. How long will you be staying?" Sadik asked the Vietnamese woman with a gentlemanly tone.

Viet thought for an answer, for she did not think it through. "I guess maybe until tomorrow. I need the news to be sent to Yao so that he doesn't worry more than what he can handle."

Sadik laughed and said, "You're older brother is growing older by the minute! I have a video meeting with him today so I can tell him then."

"Video meeting?" asked Viet. Sadik realized that the technology was still new and not very popular in Eastern Asia and explained to Viet that he could have meetings with other people through cameras as if they were to meet in person and they didn't have to travel far for the meeting.

After a few minutes of chatting, Egypt brought Sadik to the side and quietly told him that he had to go and work with the trade.

"Of course! Go and do what you have to do Egypt. I'll see you around. Now, as of you Ms. Viet, why don't we go to my office and discuss some more there instead of standing out here in this heat."

Sadik led to a small governmental building where they walked upstairs to a door. Once through the door, Viet saw a simple desk with several drawers attached to it and a lamp, sitting on the corner of it. There were several chairs seated in front of the desk and an armchair behind it, indicating that was where the representative sat. The room was painted a dark green color with matching red curtains hanging at the sides of the windows.

"Would you like some water?" asked the Turk to the Vietnamese woman.

"Yes please." Viet sat in one of the chairs that were in front of the desk. She looked around, feeling a bit safer now knowing that she was back in Asia. Sadik came back with a small glass of water and handed it to Viet. "Cảm ơn," thanked Viet.

"bir şey değil," replied Sadik. He then seated himself in his armchair. "So, do you mind telling me where you have been all this time as we wait for the appointed time of the meeting?"

"Not at all. I found myself in Seychelles, waking up in a bed. Michelle, the representative of Seychelles took care of me while I was unconscious. Mr. Egypt must have seen me in the ocean and saved me but gave me to Michelle because it was easier on him… Or so I think so. Anyway, you have heard of one of the leaders of Europe falling into the ocean with me correct?" Sadik nodded and leaned forward intently. "He was also saved but we were kept separately so that we would not cause trouble to the natives. We just happened to come across each other which were when we learned that the other person was still alive and we fought, almost to our death. I barely escaped but he's still alive. I saw him again in Egypt but I was told to keep low as to not cause havoc and if I wanted to keep a good relationship with the country.

"I was outnumbered either way, because he met the other representatives of Europe there as well. There was no way for me to do anything by myself. I forgot to mention that Michelle took me to Egypt so that I could come back to Asia safely. She didn't have much communication so she didn't send any news to Asia about me still being alive."

Sadik sighed, amazed by the story told to him but he believed it. He had met Viet at several Asian meetings before and she struck him as a person who did not lie unless it was to protect someone or something important to her. "It seems that you have been through a lot. At least you are safe. I have no doubt that Europe has heard of the European's survival as well but I can't wait to see the look on their faces when they hear that you are still alive!"

Viet chuckled. She knew that the country of Turkey was one of the most passionate about the war, especially due to its history with Greece. For Sadik to beat the representative of Greece at something always filled him with pride as Viet had noticed. She then heard a buzzer that was coming from the drawer. Sadik opened it and took out a small box with several buttons and switches on it. He pressed a button and placed the machine back inside the drawer.

"It looks like it's time for the meeting. Follow me Ms. Viet," said the Turk. The two walked to another door across the room and opened it, to reveal a room lighted by electricity with a large desk in the middle and many chairs surrounding it. On the right wall was a white paper that hung from the ceiling and facing it was a machine that had a lens that pointed at the screen.

Sadik walked to the machine and pressed a button, turning it on, making the machine come to life as gears started to turn and a light came from the lens, shining onto the screen. A wire was connected the machine to the wall, Viet noticed and wondered what it did.

On the screen, the face of a Chinese man appeared, his eyes scanning the room. When he saw Viet through his screen, he cried, "Viet, you are alive aru! What happened? Did this man hurt you aru?" accusing Sadik with a finger pointed at him.

"On the contrary Yao, I just arrived to Turkey from Egypt which I arrived to a few days ago from Seychelles where the representative of the country took care of me. Otherwise, I'm alive and well," explained Viet. Tears started to form in the Chinese eyes, seeing that his little sister was safe.

Sadik sat down and began, saying, "Ms. Viet is lucky to have come today of all days when we had a meeting. She says that she will be heading back to her home tomorrow so that she won't have to worry you anymore. Besides this news, we still have other things to discuss."

"That is correct. Viet, we can chat later. Right now, we have to discuss about the actions the Europeans are doing right now." Viet nodded her head slowly, worried about what was going on while she was gone for the past few weeks. "How is the border Mr. Sadik?" asked Yao with a concerned voice.

"They evacuated all the locals of the villagers near the border and started to plant bombs into the ground. They also have their armies ready for battle, several hundreds of meters behind their bombs. The Europeans are waiting for us to attack recklessly due to the 'loss' of Ms. Viet and the invasion on Seoul."

Yao brought his hand to his chin, his face focused in thought. "It would be bad to sacrifice men but we need to find a way to cross the border and not blow up." Viet was silent. She wanted to say that the bombs could probably be a sign of peace between the two continents but that she knew was a silly thought and lacked the thought of consequences of doing so or the actual process of thinking from the other representatives of the European countries.

She had to still be a part of this war, whether she liked it or not. Viet became aware of the people she met and who she could trust so she must play as if she was still for getting rid of the Europeans from Asian lands.

"Is there a place where they did not place the bombs?" Viet finally asked. Sadik looked through his papers that he brought with him into the room. He took a piece of paper from a stack and scanned it. He was satisfied when a smiled appeared on his face.

"Part of Russia belongs to Europe. They didn't put any bombs there because the grounds are too hard to dig up. I also believe that it is because that Russia is somewhat neutral in the war for the time being and if they placed something in the lands that should not be there, I get the feeling that they would have to deal with a strong power that they won't be able to defeat," explained the Turk.

Yao chuckled nervously. "Ivan… I guess we can ask if he could help us but he probably wants something in return if we were to travel through Russia."

"Don't forget that if we were to retreat and the Europeans are still after us then, going back into Russia with them following might cost more than what we want to pay," added Viet. Yao, Sadik and Viet were silent for a long minute.

In a frustrated cry Yao yelled, "Aiyaahh! This is so frustrating aru! What can we do then aru?" Viet sighed at the immature frustration her older brother was expressing as he flailed his arms as if the world was about to end.

"Calm down Mr. Yao! We'll think of something. We just need to wait and not be reckless," said Sadik.

"Well you are going to have to decide this one on your own Yao. Having to travel these past few days, I'm tired and I don't want to deal with warfare at the moment. I can tell you what happened when I get home," scolded Viet.

"Don't be cruel Viet!" whined Yao.

Suddenly the door burst opened and walking into the room Yao was in were, his and Viet's younger siblings.

"Honestly Yao! Can't you keep quiet one bit!" yelled Mei in the background. Hyung Soo, Yong Soo, Kiku, Mei, Hong, and another man walked in with black circles under their eyes. Their faces expressed a crankiness that Viet had not seen since all of them were children.

"I'm sorry…" Yao said softly and apologetically. Mei's eyes then moved from Yao to the screen and her eyes widened.

"Viet?" she asked, not believing what she was seeing on the screen.

The Vietnamese woman nodded her head and gave a faint smile. "The one and only. I'm just in Turkey right now. I should be home in about a week saying that traveling will be fast." The males heard the voice as well and soon, they ran toward the screen, pushing Yao aside. "Ah, Macau, I haven't seen you in a while. How have you been doing?" asked Viet.

"I'm doing fine Jiejie. What about you? How are you still alive from that fall? We couldn't find your body so we thought you died," said Macau. His hair was neatly combed and his glasses were recently cleaned but his eyes were tired like his other siblings.

"That's right Noona! How did you survive?" asked Yong Soo this time.

"That's a long story which I don't want to explain again right now. I'll tell you guts once I'm home."

"Nee-chan, we're glad you are alive," Kiku said this time. His eyes looked as if they were going to fall out.

"Are you guys okay? It looks like you didn't get enough sleep," Viet said worriedly.

Hyung shook his head slowly. "After a few days when we couldn't find Noona, we were convinced that you died and I guess you can say that we didn't know what to do without you."

"Well, I'm back now… Technically, I'm not back but you know what I mean. Please sleep well tonight."

They all smiled and said in unison, "We will Nee-chan (Jiejie, Noona)."

"Aiyaa!" yelled Yao from the background. "Why is it that you call Viet 'Big sister' in your native tongue but won't call me 'Big brother'?"

"Because, Jiejie is more mature and respectful than teacher," said Mei. The others nodded their head in agreement. They argued and Viet smiled at the familiar warmness she missed feeling. Her family worried so much about her that she did not want to worry them again.

She put her hands in her pocket only to feel something hard in them. Viet remembered the earrings that Lukas had given her before they separated and she slightly blushed. He reminded her of when she was little and how Yao would give her a gift before he left to go on a long business trip or meeting. Yet, her feelings were him were a bit different than what she felt with Yao. What was this feeling? It was unfamiliar yet warm and friendly. She also wondered what Lukas meant by the earrings being able to protect her. When she thought about it, she blushed more and her little Taiwanese sister noticed this.

"Ah! Did Jiejie find someone she likes during her disappearance?" Mei asked cheerfully.

"What do you mean?" Viet asked nervously.

"Aiyaah! Viet is not allowed to date anyone, ever aru!" complained Yao. Hyung Soo and Yong Soo stared with curiosity in their eyes at Viet and Mei was whispering something to Hong and Macau. Macau ended up smiling and Hong with a hint of mischief in his eyes. Kiku was trying to calm down Yao but was failing terribly.

"Is this what your life is like when you are home?" asked Sadik amused by the family's interactions with each other.

"Strangely," replied Viet.

* * *

_Omake_

_Me: Turkey and Macau make their debut! So who wants to eat pho and celebrate?_

_Vietnam: If it involves pho, then I'm in._

_Me: Hehe, Viet-chan really likes pho. You can see the intent in her eyes. What about Bun bo hue?_

_Vietnam: That is second best. _

_Me: Cultural note about Vietnam: Pho originated in Northern Vietnam while bun bo hue, another noodle soup but noticeably different than pho, is from Central Vietnam. If you notice, Hue in bun bo hue is the name of a city in Vietnam where the soup is originated from hence its name. Bun means noodles (forgot which kind) and is pronounced with a long oo sound instead of how you see it spelled. Or at least I think that is how its spelled just without the accents._

_Vietnam: Don't list any more food, please. It is making me terribly hungry._

_Me: Okay~ Anyway, bir şey değil is Turkish for you're welcome. Turkey replied to Vietnam this after she said thank you in Vietnamese when she was given a glass of water._

_Vietnam: Please R&R. Admin (animefan106) likes to hear your comments, concerns, thoughts of the story, and so on._


	16. Chapter 16

_Disclaimer: I do not own the anime, characters, maybe settings and a lot of other stuff that may be mentioned._

_Ayumi Kudou: Fufufu~ It's quite interesting whenever I see rare pairings. Yes, China is a drama queen but what do you expect of someone who thinks of himself as "cool and hip"._

* * *

Lukas sat at a table with his younger brother and his friends, waiting for two certain men to come into the room. The Nordic region representatives had arrived to Greece several days ago, happily greeted by many of the Europeans for their success of destroying the Korean city of Seoul. The representative of Greece, Heracles, had given them a comfortable hotel to stay in as they recover and have a meeting with Arthur Kirkland, the representative of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, before they could go back to their countries.

Arthur was a close friend of Lukas' since he was a young teenager along with the representative of Romania, Vasilica Lupei. They were known as the Magic Trio due to their 'claims' of being able to do magic though few have ever seen or believe in such sorcery so most people would consider them crazy. Other than that, the three are known to be very strong if they were to work together but that's for another time. Plus I think we have enough evidence in this story to claim that magic is real but that not many people can see it due to their disintigrating belief in fairies and magical creatures.

Anyway, Lukas sat impatiently waiting for his friend who was also one of the leaders of the European representatives to arrive. Usually Arthur would be very timely or earlier to a meeting where there was one but for some reason for this day, he was late. Heracles walked through the door then stopped, looking from side to side, confused.

"Arthur is not here yet?" asked the Greek man.

Matthias sighed and shook his head. "Nope. He's usually here on time. Where could he be?" Heracles took a seat at the round table next to Emil. He shivered once his bum was placed on his chair, feeling the sudden temperature drop as if it winter even though it was summer. He looked at Emil and saw that he was not affected or he did not feel the cold air around them. He thought that it might just be him going crazy after so many battles and quarrels with the representative of Turkey, Sadik.

"Strange. Where is-" Lukas was cut off by the sudden burst of the door opening with a messy blonde-haired man with emerald eyes and thick eyebrows running into the room.

"I'm *huff* sorry for *huff* being late," the man panted. He took in a deep breath to bring back his composure and straightened his back. "This was very un-gentlemanly of me to be late but my flight here arrived late last night and I had little rest as well as there being some heavy traffic this morning," explained the man in a British accent.

"That took you long enough," Lukas retorted. His stoic face blankly stared at the Englishman with his arms folded but it also gave a hint of teasing on the usually-on-time man.

Arthur huffed with slight irritation and said, "Shut it you butter-licking-wanker." The only thought that came to Lukas' mind when his friend said this was , W_hat does this have to do with my small obsession with butter and what is his definition of a wanker?_

The Dane laughed loudly only to be given glares from Arthur and Lukas. "Sometimes I think that the both of you are meant for each other! But then again, Lukas here already has a crush on someone doesn't he?"

"I'm telling you for the last time Bro, I do not like her in such a way."

"Oh come on, Michelle is cute and you know it," teased the Dane only to have Lukas grab his tie and start choking him.

"Michelle?" questioned Arthur curiously.

"Michelle, the representative of Seychelles," explained Tino quickly.

Arthur's green orbs widened a little but he did not let the information get to him deeply. "Well, anyway, we have some business to discuss. From the letter you sent me, the invasion on Seoul wasn't as successful as we had hoped and Lukas was missing but now he is back. I'll be wanting to hear your story at some point Lukas."

"I have that ready when you need to hear it."

"Good. Next, does anyone have any idea what the Asian's next move is." There was silence. No one actually knew what Asia was going to do next making them worry, especially since they had been keeping quiet for the past few weeks since the battle.

The silence that filled the room and the concerned faces on everyone in the room gave Arthur the answer to his question. "I see... They must have seen the bombs planted at the border. They might be finding another way to get around it."

"I remember something. Arthur, didn't you say that you didn't put in any bombs up in Russia that is under European control?" asked Heracles lazily.

"I did but that doesn't mean that they will try to cross through that way. As of right now, Russia is neutral from the war and if the rest of Asia tried to cross that border, they would have to get permission first. If they were to fail at an invasion there, they might bring in our troops, bringing war onto neutral land and Russia would most likely go against the rest of Asia. That would not go well for them and I think that they have considered this. They would be crazy to even try asking in the first place. From what I heard, Russia's representative is one terrifying person," explained Arthur.

Berwald folded his arms and stared down at the table. After a few minutes of consideration he said, "We will have to keep watch. It is possible that they can cross the border stealthily and most likely invade Finland."

"Eh?! You're right Berwald... Other than the Baltic states, I'm also at the border of Russia. But wouldn't they try to take down the other three first?" asked Finland nervously.

"They would but who knows if they came in and did it quietly!" exclaimed the Dane enthusiastically. Lukas walked behind him and pulled his tie making him choke. The sounds coming out of Matthias' mouth made everyone in the room flinch.

"Don't scare everyone Bro," said Lukas in a bored tone. He let go and sat back in his seat, folding his arms. Matthias was gasping for breath and loosened his tie to make sure air was coming through his throat.

Seeing how things were going to turn downhill from here, Arthur said, "Why don't we stop here for today since everyone seems to be getting irritated at each other." Everyone agreed and started walking out of the room. The Englishman and remembered something before Lukas walked out the door. "Ah, Lukas, do you mind if we talk in private for a few minutes?"

"Why not?" answered Lukas, still bored. The Norwegian leaned on the table with his hands supporting him by holding onto the edge of the table. Arthur took a seat and was quiet for a few minutes.

After a while he asked, "Has Matthias and Berwald been acting strangely since you went off to go fight at Seoul?"

"Not at all. Actually, both of them are more of themselves then ever. Tino on the other hand seems more sickly as I see him shivering more often and Emil has been quieter than the usual. It's as if he is more suspicious of people then before. Other than that everyone seems pretty normal," replied Lukas calmly. "Why?"

"Well, Elizaveta, Roderich, and Ludwig said that they overheard Matthias speaking to Berwald about these two orbs that control the creatures that created us that were created by God that can take over the world. Do you know anything about this?" asked Arthur with stress written on his face.

Lukas was silent thinking of an answer. "I've heard of the legend and I have encountered the phoenix but that doesn't mean that the orbs exist. We have no proof," the Norwegian replied. Yes, Lukas himself was looking for the orb but not to control the world. Why would Matthias and Berwald know about this anyway? By the look on the Dane's face when Lukas fell off the cliff, he was definitely surprised and shocked to see something he had never seen before. Not only that but all of them liked their small worlds and normal lives, even Matthias despite how obnoxious he was.

"That's good to hear. I was worried something bad was going to happen." Arthur gave a sigh of relief and shifted in his chair. He became nervous, deciding whether he wanted to ask his next question.

"Something tells me you have something else to say," Lukas said, somewhat interested.

"Well, I also wanted to ask you if you actually have feelings for Michelle?" Arthur was anxious but also embarrased by his question. Lukas stayed quiet for a long time, just to torture Arthur by not giving him the answer he wanted.

Soon, the Brit's face became red with irritation and anger. "Don't torture me you bloody-butter-licking-wanker!" Lukas smirked which was rare but not as rare as when he smiled softly and gently that only Emil had seen as a child.

"No, I don't have any feelings for her. None that is romantic anyway. If anything, I do have a liking for another girl." The last part made Arthur stunned and speechless. Lukas likes a girl?

"Who?" asked the Englishman.

"Not telling. Plus my feelings are undecided so its better not to say anything until its confirmed," was all Lukas said to tease and to protect himself and Viet. "Something also tells me that a certain Brit likes a girl who's from Seychelles. How did you two meet?"

Arthur's face became bright red with embarrasement and yelled, "As if I'll tell you!" Lukas ran out the door before Arthur could jump him and strangle him.

* * *

_Omake:_

_Me: Yep, I'm an UKxSey fan. No matter what you people say, my opinion will not change. Anyway-_

_China: Next chapter is about *mmph*!_

_Me: Do not say anything about the next chapter without my permission_

_Denmark: Sorry I'm late! I'm here to join for today's Omake!_

_Me: Ah, glad that you can make it Dan-san. Now that today's crew is here for today, how is it like to be the big brother of the Asia/Nordic group?_

_China: Don't cover my mouth aru! Anyway, no one sees me as an older brother... Vietnam-chan says I act childish and everyone else says I'm not like an older brother to them even though I'm the oldest and always treat them aru._

_Me: That's because you keep on trying to act our age and claim that you are 'hip and cool' or whatever. We look up to those who act their age. Now before you can comment on that, Dan-san, how is it like to be the Nordic's older brother?_

_Denmark: Hahaha! I'm the oldest and the most handsome of the group! They all see but they won't admit it!_

_Me:... No comment on that except for Norway would kill you for saying that. Where is he anyway? He usually magically appears at the door and chokes you with your tie as if he can here from half way across the earth._

_Denmark: I locked the door this time so he won't be able to do anything physically harmful to me that could kill me!_

_China: ..._

_Me: Well then for next chapter, we shall start off the journey of looking for the orbs before they get in the wrong hands with Viet-chan!_

_China: Aru! Why did you get to say it aru?_

_Me: Because I'm admin and you didn't get my permission earlier._

_Denmark: Admin would like you guys to R&R with your comments, question, concerns, etc.!_


	17. Chapter 17

_Disclaimer: I do not own the anime, characters, maybe settings and a lot of other stuff that may be mentioned._

_Ayumi Kudou: I'm glad you survived the hurricane. I do pray that their souls will rest in peace. There is no way that countries can forget about debts and such. Oh and it is spelled 'politics'. Anyway, If we forgot about all those things, our lives would not be in order and could be seperated by different ideas. Examples are in the US. Without laws and the government, the republican and democratic states would probably be at war or would seperate from the country and we would no longer be unified and there will be in chaos. Sorry, my politic-side is showing. _

_Guest (Tj99joy): I'm glad you really like my story. Out of curiosity, why do you ship them? It's amazing that there is another VietxNor shipper on here and I feel all happy and excited now. I would like to see a story with Viet-chan and Nor-kun other than myself and other harem stories like Why Her? If you do write it, please send a link to me! This rare shipping should be known by all! ^_^ I think I have a pairing for all the females but not two males each. _

* * *

"Jiejie! You're home!" cried the Taiwanese girl as she ran up to Viet and hugged her. The Vietnamese woman hugged her back, glad to feel the warmth and friendliness of her family and home once again.

"Now, why would I die?" Viet asked. Mei giggled and let go of her older sister. Viet's brothers ran up to her and Mei a few minutes after. They began to talk to her rapidly and simultaneously that she was starting to get a headache. Well, at least she knew that they cared for her.

Seeing her stress, Kiku quieted everyone down. He then said to Viet, "Nee-chan, we're glad you are back safely. How do you feel?"

She gave a small smile. "Besides the headache that all of you have given me with your talking, I am doing well. I'm glad to be home with all of you again." She looked around and noticed that a ceratin Chinese was missing. "Where is Yao?" she asked.

"Like, he said that he needed to get some errands done and he wanted us to bring you home. He like said that he wouldn't have time to meet you here," explained Hong. Viet nodded her head in understanding.

"So, Noona, who is this guy you like?" asked Yong Soo excitedly.

"That's right! Who do you like Jiejie?" added Mei. Viet rubbed her fingers in circles on the sides of her head.

"It's not like that. I just remembered something that someone had said to me and I blushed. Even if I told you, we probably wouldn't meet again so I wouldn't worry about it if I were you," replied Viet, somewhat feeling guilty for lying to her siblings. Most of the time she told the truth unless it was something really personal and important. She believed that the situation she was in was something like that.

A falcon gave a loud screech. Viet looked up and slowly bringing up her right arm to her side. The falcon swooped down and flapped its wings, landing on her arm. The siblings looked at the majestic bird in awe with its glistening white and red feathers. "Haru, meet my family," said Viet somewhat excitedly.

Haru shuffled his feathers and with his telepathy, he told only Viet, "They are all safe for now. Keep an eye on them. The Seraphim can be anywhere now." Viet gave a small nod that the falcon could feel as her arm moved with the movement of her head but no one else could find it suspicious. The Vietnamese woman's siblings gathered closer to her to admire the falcon and pet it.

"How did you find him?" asked Hyung Soo as he scratched the birds chest. Haru made a low purr from its throat to signal his satisfaction with the Korean's petting.

"It's more like he found me. It was while I was in Seychelles that he was flying and saved me from a wild animal. After that he started to follow me and we became friends," replied Viet. Inside, she smiled, finding it amazing that she was telling something not to far from the truth. She hated lying.

Mei gawked at the bird's soft feathers as she gently touched them like a child who was afraid to break something if he or she touched it. "He's beautiful Jiejie. Ooh, this is so cool. Let's hurry home to show teacher!" exclaimed the Taiwanese.

"Last one to the train carries all of Noona's belongings into the house!" cried Yong Soo.

"You're on!" Mei accepted the challenge without hesitation. Kiku's and Hyung Soo's faces became dark and felt that the situation was ridiculous but knew that the younger siblings were serious and so they joined Hong, Mei, and Yong Soo for the race. Thai stood next to Viet and picked up the rest of her belongings, not caring if he was last.

"Thank you, Thai," said Viet with a sigh.

Thai chuckled. "I see no problems with doing this for my older sister." Viet gave another small smiled then walked in the direction her younger siblings were running through. People passed by Viet and Thai with smiling faces. Some were yelling and boasting about their food being the best or their items and materials were made out of the most expensive material in the world. Others were browsing shops, eating, laughing, and playing. The Vietnamese woman's eyes closed and heard the music of the languages that she could understand and the talking and laughing that lightened up the mood of the city.

Now in the country of China, Viet felt almost at home. She remembered this particular part of town except with less technology and more traditional clothing. Otherwise the shops, signs and building all looked the same. Viet wanted this to last, this town, this life, to never end. She wanted to protect and hold the people and places she cared most for, close to her. Where would she be without them? A week ago on the video meeting with her older brother, she saw the darkened eyes of her siblings as they were worried for her and now she saw them happy with their lives and the people around them. She needed to live to protect them and maybe stop the war as well without getting them killed.

The train station came into view and Yong Soo was cheering and jumping up and down. Kiku on the other hand had his hands on his knees and gave a look of defeat on him. The rest were panting but looked relieved to not be last in this race.

Viet sighed. "When will you all grow up?" she asked. She shook her head even though she wanted them to keep their childishness.

"Never! Now let's go to teacher's house!" yelled Mei triumphantly. Why did she feel triumphant? Viet would never know.

* * *

_Time lapse..._

* * *

"You're safe aru!" cried Yao as he squeezed Viet into his arms, almost choking her. Hong pulled Yao's ponytail to annoy him and save Viet from the lack of air.

"I'm fine Yao. You saw me a week ago on the video meeting so how can I no be okay?" Viet said.

"But Viet aru!"

"Like, teacher, be quiet. You're like annoying," complained Hong. Yao pouted but suddenly ran into the kitchen.

Viet and the rest of the siblings followed into the kitchen which contained a large counter in the center where spices, herbs, meat and other ingredients were set up on the table. Woks, skillets and pots were hung and lined up on one wall along with laddles and different cooking utensils of various sizes. On the island (counter in the middle of the kitchen) were several different Chinese dishes along with pork buns and roasted duck. Twenty or so spring rolls were also made and wrapped in plastic wrapping to keep it from stickng to each other. Viet's mouth began to water as she saw many different dishes that she grew up with.

"Help me set up the table and we can eat aru!" said Yao excitedly. Everyone helped set up the plates, bowls and chopsticks on the table along with the main dishes and side dishes spread across the long wooden table bringing a delicious aroma traveling through the room. Once the table was set, all the siblings sat and thanked for the meal, soon devouring the food in front of them. As they ate, Viet told her story of Seychelles and how she 'saw' Lukas on the island faking the faces of disgust as she described her story. Haru perched on the edge of an empty chair between Hyung Soo and Mei who fed him small pieces of meat every once in a while which he ate contently.

"Wah, that was delicious da ze," said the satisfied Yong Soo as he rubbed his stomach indicating that he was full. The siblings started to clean up the dining room as they put left over food away and washed the dishes.

Afterwards, they sat outside in the garden to enjoy the scenery. "What are you going to do now Yao?" asked Viet suddenly. "We can't just sit here knowing that there are bombs at the border line of Europe or Asia. Either we let those little explosions hold of the war for who knows how long or we take action. I don't know how you plan on doing it but you need to do somethig."

Yao looked at the pond with blank eyes, thinking. "I don't know what to do. Let's just hope for a miracle," the Chinese said blankly. _And a miracle you shall have,_ hissed a voice in Yao's head. He smiled to himself and faced Viet. "Do not worry little sister, we shall get that miracle and maybe save us all." His confidence surprised Viet as he seemed to be hoping for a miracle. What was he talking? Viet did not understand what he was believing but did not question him, learning that he was stubborn once he believed in something.

Her eyes narrowed as she saw a butterfly land on a pink lotus that stood tall above the other flowers of the pond. "I've been thinking about this war," said Viet cautiously. "I've come to doubt the purpose of fighting again. After being in Seychelles, there was a large array of people from different cultures there. All were at peace. No there were no Asians, mostly Africans and Europeans but they had their disputes and they had solved them after a long period of time. Yes some of them still held to the past but over time they forgave each other and lived at peace. Can we try to settle something with them with a treaty? Can we try to settle something?!" Viet started to feel her blood boil as she knew she had to raise her voice so that she can be taken seriously as well as let her feelings out.

Her siblings were quiet, realizing that this was going to be an argument that they might have to stop soon. "Nee-chan, let's talk about this another time, okay?"

"No! I will not let this slide and be avoided. You all knew that this has been pricking at me for a long time. If I don't let this out now what will happen in the future?"

"What do you suppose we do then aru?!" questioned Yao back harshly. The two stared at each other with fire burning in there eyes. Haru was on a branch of a cherry blosson tree not to far away, far enough so that he could be unnotticed but can still hear the conversation. "It is not like we have not tried that before. I want to make a peaceful and comfortable life for all of us in the future aru. To do that we must eliminate the white devils!" His voice became louder and more commanding.

Viet didn't flinch nor did she back away from her older brother's comment. "We tried years ago. Even if there were still fome fighting between the two countries then maybe we can try to solve all of this together. No, I won't be a pacifist on this but I will not allow so much lives be killed from both continents just to dominate the other and become known as barbarians! We can make this happen, even if it means by using force."

"Did you get this idea for being away for so long aru? You should relax and try to come back to your senses aru," Yao said, trying to make his tone softer. This angered Viet and she marched to Yao and punched him in the face.

"I was able to make friends with them Yao! It might not be possible for everyone but if everyone tried, then we can do it. There will be fights, deaths, yelling, and screaming but I'll deal with it just to bring peace where both worlds can survive. You don't even understand why this all came to be! I believe that there is more to history than what we learned that we need to find out and make sure that both our world and the Europeans' world can live at peace once more." The golden orbs of he Vietnamese woman began to be filled wih tears, blurring her vision. Her cheeks felt hot with sorrow and anger. She didn't want to see so many of the people she cared about die anymore. She saw the past and promised to herself and her ancestor that she would bring peace to this war.

Yao felt a power within him starting to boil inside of him but he used his energy to try and stop it from hurting Viet and to not let his younger siblings see the true him. "How do you know I don't understand aru?" Yao said in a low tone. "I have seen destruction upon our villages and cities, seeing more die than you all have seen combined. Do not tell me that I do not understand aru!" He panted trying to control his anger. "Listen to me as your brother and commander who wants the best for you and our counrties! Why is it that you feel this way toward out enemies aru?!"

"I'm sorry Yao," Viet said softly. All the eyes of the sibling widened as she said that but the real shock came from what she said next. "I can't answer you that question. I've changed after travelling so much and I can't see things the way they once were anymore. I can't say that I like everyone in Europe but I've met a few who I have earned their trust as they have earned mine. If this is the way it has to be, I will have my boss make Vietnam neutral from the war and communication with any participants of this bloodbath shall be erased. I will get going now."

With that Viet turned and left to go into the house and gather her belongings. She hurried to the next train station to get on her way back to Vietnam, her home. Yao stared at her in disbelief while the rest try to bring back Viet before she could leave but were too late.

_It seems that the Fire Guardian has made her move,_ said the voice in Yao's head with disgust. "It seems that she has aru..."

* * *

_Another time lapse..._

* * *

Viet sat on her bed, thinking of what she had done. Haru was on the chair at her desk, staring at her. "Did you feel that power coming from Yao?" asked Viet absentmindedly.

"I'm glad you noticed. Yes, I had since the beginning but it was faint at first. Once the both of you started arguing, it became more apparent that it was coming from your brother. He looks familiar though..." said Haru.

"Was it the right choice to make? I did all this without thinking it through. My boss always tried to understand my reasonings and sometimes he would disagree even if he understood. He seemed very understanding today and even said that this would be the right thing to do for our country. Was that suspicious?" Viet was confused.

Haru shuffled his feathers and hoped onto the bed next to Viet, careful not to rip the bed sheets with his talons. "I did not sense the Seraphim around us or in him at all. I believe that he truly understood for that is what I saw child. He might change some of the rules you originally thought of but that is to make relationships easier."

Viet sighed, unsure of what the bird said. "Many will probably be angry at this, especially opposing nations who are very into the war. It also makes the Europeans feel more triumphant knowing that another power is out of there way from stopping them..." Haru was silent for a long while. Viet reached into her pocket to find the box with the pair of earrings Lukas gave her. She took the box out and opened it to see the glimmering star-like earrings in the moonlight of her home. Viet smiled to herself, remembering the Norwegian's warmth as they sat next to each other on Monica's boat before the beast attack.

She remembered the first time she saw him. She detested him just because he was European. Her first impression of him when she woke up on Seychelles was that he was rude, emotionless, and mysterious. He always seemed to be talking to someone else but no one was there and he would be quiet at times and just stare into space. She remembered when she sang the lullaby that Yao had taught her as she stood on the roof of Michelle's house and then they both chuckled at her voice cracking and her embarrassment when she saw him. He wasn't the emotionless man that she saw after that. He then saved her when a beast shot that dark ball at her and how he was kind enough to save someone even though they were enemies at the time. Memories filled her and nostalgia spread throughout her body.

Haru stared at the earrings and Viet for a long time, intrigued by his partners behaviour. "Would you like to talk to him?" Haru asked. Viet was startled and almost dropped the box with the pair of earrings.

"What?"

"You know what I mean child." Viet was silent. "I can communicate with Hydra and she will be more than happy for the both of you to talk to each other. We might need to know the other's progress in getting the orbs."

The Vietnamese woman smiled slightly, barely noticeable in the dark room with only the moon's light shining through the window. "If that is the case then that will be fine. You are full of surprises Haru," Viet said.

Haru chuckled. "Expect more to come in the future along with some more training. We shall head out tomorrow if you do not mind."

"Not at all."

"Good. This will take a while little one," explained Haru. He flapped his burgandy wings and flew to the middle of the room where his eyes began to glow. A red encrypted circle covered him and in the mirror across the room, an image appeared. Viet saw a bright room with many Western designs that were different from the ones that she lived with as a child in Francis' house.

The room put her in awe as she saw a matching colored room of different tints and shades of blue and teal. The bed post was a dark colored wood that gleamed in the sunlight and the window was open, allowing the breeze to make to curtains flow in the room. The door open for a professionally dressed man with light blonde hair and dull blue eyes. He looked to his left to see his window open and walked towards it to close it. When he turned around, his eyes widened to see the sight in his mirror.

"Viet?" he questioned, unsure if he was hallucinating.

A hiss came from near the mirror. Hydra appeared and looked at the other side and chuckled as she hissed. "My my, what a change in time I sssee Haru," said the snake rather cheerfully.

"We needed to see if you have made any progress with the orb," explained Haru calmly. He looked at Lukas and greeted the Norwegian. "It is nice to see you again Lukas, Water Guardian."

"Likewise Haru... It is also nice to see you again Viet," said Lukas shyly. A small blush appeared on his face making Viet giggle. The sight of such a face on Viet surprised Lukas but he smiled in return to her laughter which shocked her, seeing that that was the first time she had seen him smile so genuinely.

"I'm glad to see you again Lukas." Her smile became sadder and the Norwegian began to worry. "I have news to tell you as well..."

Lukas waited patiently as Viet was hesitant to share something she wanted to tell him. "What is it?" he finally asked, hoping she wasn't as nervous as before.

"Well, Vietnam has claimed to be a neutral country for who-knows-how-long. I had a fight with my older brother on our ideas about the war and it finally reached the point where I'm willing to no longer be a part of this. Well, not directly anyway. I still need to help you to stop this war." There was silence. Lukas didn't know what to say to that. She was now neutral and to get her involved only met to discuss about things and net let her fight.

"What do you intend to do now?" Lukas asked. Viet thought for a moment and looked down at her toes.

She looked back up and replied, "I'm going to find the orb ot the Fire Bird and find a way to start making the two continents realize that this whole war has been a set up since the beginning. The Seraphim are starting to rise again and we need to stop them. Tomorrow Haru and I will go to retrieve the orb. We won't see each other for a while after that but we'll see each other again. I swear on that."

Lukas nodded in understand then placed his palm agains the mirror. Viet place her hand against his. They stared into each others eyes trying to read the other's feelings. Their trance was broken by a calling from a distance from where Lukas was.

"Lukas! Sorry to barge in like this but I need to talk to you!" called a familiar voice. Lukas grunted at the man's voice and backed away from the mirror.

He sighed and took in Viet's face and figure one last time before talking. "Matthias seems to be calling. I can't risk letting you get seen so I'll have to go."

"I see," Viet said with disappointment in her voice. Lukas looked at her again and turned his head away.

"If anything, I do care for you Viet. Maybe to the point where I just want us to be together alone..." Viet blushed at this statement but gave a small smile.

"I feel the same way Lukas." There eyes met and soon they said their farewells as Matthias called for a second time, threatening Lukas that he would barge into his room. The image on the mirror faded and Viet stared at it with excitement pumping in her chest. She didn't love him but she admired Lukas for being there when he could. She held the box with the earrings close to her.

"Maybe we'll be together one day together Lukas. Maybe one day..."

* * *

The next morning came and Viet was dressed for a long jouney that was to be done on foot. Haru was perched on her shoulder as she stood on a mountain, several miles from the nearest village.

"Here we go," Viet said, a little nervous about her next adventure.

"Ready, little one?" asked Haru.

She nodded her head and answered, "As ready as I'll ever be." She hikes down the path Haru directed her to go on towards a cove where the orb is said to be found. Little did Viet know that Yao watched her leave from a distance.

"Hurry and search for the orb. If you have to, let her find it for you," commanded Yao to a shadow that took no shape of any of its surroundings. It hurried across the mountain, following the scent of the Vietnamese woman as she walked to the location of the orb.

* * *

_Omake_

_Me: Wahaha! Don't think I forgot about Yao and his shadow when I gave a cliffhanger of it in one of the earlier chapters. More dark things will be headed Lukas' and Viet's way. The Seraphim already know who they are so now, they are on the move. Now for the random fact of this chapter!_

_Iceland: Since 1971, Vietnam and Norway has had a political relationship. This year is their 41st anniversary of their friendship with each other which isn't that bad._

_Me: Yep, Nor-kun helps Viet-chan find ways to protect her from natural disasters and he sends her improved fishing equipment which she needs to fish with for her economy. They also have something to do with oil but I forgot that part._

_Iceland: Do you have licorice?_

_Me: Not today Ice-chan._

_Iceland: Why are you calling me that? I'm not a child anymore._

_Me: It's not as bad as you being called lillebror by Nor-kun right? So let me call you Ice-chan otherwise I'll bother you and have Nor-kun make you say Strorbror or Big Brother or anything along those lines._

_Iceland: Fine..._

_Me: Well that's it for today! Oh and this is proof that VietnamxNorway is a legit pairing._

_Iceland: Don't forget to review telling your comments, concerns and so on to Admin._


	18. Chapter 18

_Disclaimer: I do not own the anime, characters, maybe settings and a lot of other stuff that may be mentioned._

_Ayumi Kudou: I also wish for more stories of these two and I'm glad I made this. I can't believe I actually made it this far so hope that I will make it to the end._

* * *

The sun began to rise above the horizon giving the sky the mixed colors of pink, orange, and blue. The morning was cool and damp making any hostile animal peaceful and lazy, not wanting to create a mess so early in the morning. The trees of the forest were still and quiet though, making the area to suspicious for Viet to sleep a bit later than the usual. Haru however, stays asleep on the branch high above the Asian's head, undisturbed by the unusual quiet of the forest.

Viet decided to practice on her ability to sense objects around her. She breathed in and out deeply and slowly and closed her eyes focusing on blanking her mind.

_First, clear your mind of all thoughts. _Viet tried to empty her mind, ridding of her suspicions and sense for that moment. It was diffucult for her because she felt like she was being watched by something dark.

_Second, breath in and out deeply... _She did so, calming the tension in her chest. The feeling was almost gone but she still felt uneasy.

_Lastly, open your mind, connect with the world around you. _Suddenly, a burst of energy and a strange power filled Viet's mind. She felt the living and nonliving objects that surrounded her from the smallest beetle to the largest tree within the thirty meter radius that she was able to develp after a series of trials and errors. What disturbed Viet most though, was the presence of a dark creature lurking near her. She only felt it for a second before it dissappeared without a trace but she was certain that it was there.

The sound of soft feathers shuffling from above broke Viet's concentration as she saw Haru starting to wake up.

"Good morning little one," greeted the tired bird.

"Did you feel anything suspicious?" asked Viet nervously.

"I felt the presence of a Seraphim close by but it disappeared. We are being followed it seems." Haru shook his body once last time to fully awaken himself before flying onto Viet's shoulder. "We cannot let that worry us though. We must get to the orb and protect it. You will also need it later if you are to fight the leader of the Seraphim."

Viet nodded and packed her belongings before hiking again. She knew the path that she was going on for so many parts of the forest that she passed was too familiar for her. How could she not notice where they were heading.

"We are going to Ha Long Bay, aren't we Haru?" Viet asked to confirm her thoughts.

Haru nodded. "There are places there that you have not seen before and is hidden so no one could find the orb. Because I am the one who has hidden it, I can sense whether it is taken or not but for the past 200 years, nothing has happened. Well, nothing that is withing in my knowledge." The falcon was quiet for a while, thinking. Viet would glance at the bird every now and then, curious about what was going on in Haru's mind.

"Why don't we do some practice with your ability to sense objects?" asked Haru suddenly. "You have been able to sit down and notice things as you concentrate but I need you to be able to do this without a single thought about it while simultaneously doing another action such as fighting and everyday things that you do."

"I see you point," Viet said before taking a bite out of ball or rice mixed with shredded, dried meat. She then handed a small piece of the rice to Haru who ate it contently, tasting the savory flavor of the meat. (Who can guess what this is called? I know what it is but I don't know how to spell it so ...^_^;)

It took Viet twenty-seven tries before she could sense anything within a one meter radius. She sighed, seeing how this ability would take her a while.

"Do not worry little one. Like your ancestor, the both of you have trouble with using your power mentally while you are both better at letting your power out physically. I would not be surprised if Lukas would have the opposite strength and weaknesses. If this is the case, little one, then we shall focus for the rest of today to see how long you will be able to keep that one meter radius."

Viet nodded. "Let's hope that I can do this..." For the next few hours, the Vietnamese woman focused on her senses and getting to Ha Long Bay which made her tired mentally, giving her headaches. It wasn't until she saw a familiar sight did she ignore her pain.

Haru flew off her shoulder and onto a tree branch. "We are here child," he said. Viet gazed at the scenery of the large body of water surrounded by land covered in different shades of green. In silence, Viet followed Haru to a small hole on the side of a mountain that led underground.

"Do we go through here?" asked Viet as she stared at the hole in front of her.

"Either here or we go to the top of the mountain. This way is for those who could swim. Hydra helped make this way while I made a way from the top where there is no water. This would be an easier way to go through with less dangers but you would need to be able to hold your breath for over a minute. There are loose rocks and some traps if we were to go through the top. Which shall you choose, little one?"

"Which would you choose, Haru?"

"I would prefer to go through the top because I don't have to go through water which I dislike unless it is a bath. I can easily avoid the traps by flying but it would be harder for you. Also, you will need a guide to get through here otherwise you will get lost and most likely not come back out so we can't be separated." Viet said nothing only to think of the situation.

"You can hold your breath for over a minute, can't you Haru?" questioned Viet, not taking her eyes off of the cavern in front of her.

"If I couldn't I wouldn't have this entrance here, little one," the bird answered back.

"Then we should go this way. We don't have much time to lose, right?" Haru shuddered but nodded his head.

"Do not make fun of me for disliking water."

"I won't. I use to have a phobia of water when I was younger from almost drowning three times in one year. Yao forced me to face it so its not as bad but I am still cautious."

Viet slowly climbed down the cavern, lighting a fire in midair above her palm when she could no longer see inside. The path was rocky but the stones seemed smoothed out by erosion. The stones felt cold to the touch and some were wet from dripping stalactites. The walls were closed in making the path narrow and Viet somewhat claustrophobic. Haru sat on her shoulder due to the small space.

Haru told the directions of where to turn and what to avoid in the dark cavern. Soon enough, Viet was led to a body of water, the size of a lake and the color of midnight black besides the reflection of the glowing fire and herself and Haru. Across the lake was land, more stalagmites and stalactites, and an empty blackness. Despite its looks and the creeping feeling of loneliness, Viet also felt a small trace of a power, warm and welcoming... Nostalgic even. The feeling slowly spread throughout her body as if magic was going to posses her but in a more gentle and less scheming way.

"We're getting closer, aren't we?" asked Viet with a dream-like voice.

"You can feel it, can't you, little one?" Haru asked this time, ignoring her question for a moment.

"It feels like when a mother gently touches her child, carefully carrying the child with the utmost care to let her love be known and to protect her child. The warmth of a mother's love is what I feel right now. What a strange feeling... I have never felt this way before in a long time. Not ever since my mother had last taken care of me..." The memories were filled with happiness and sorrow. Has it really been over 15 years since she has last seen her mother?

"We should get going child," Haru said, breaking Viet's thoughts. He knew that the mention of her mother brought her sorrow but he could not let her past get to her. Not now.

"Right." With that, she walked to the edge of the water and waited for Haru's instructions.

"First we have to make it to the other side of the lake. You will have to swim across. Any floating, non-living objects in the lake, even a boat with a person in it, will awaken some sleeping creatures in here. If anything, you might want to leave your bag near the shore. These creatures were given the sense to tell if something is living, non-living, and even non-living things on a living creature. The last part just means that they will still not attack you if you have somethings on you that are not alive. They can only sense what touches the water otherwise, if you can fly across it might be easier and less worrisome that anything you have won't fall into the water or detach from your clothing that it will awaken the creatures."

"I think I got that Haru." She didn't want to know what the creature were, already nervous about getting eaten or drowning.

"Once we get to the other side, we will have to swim underwater and there should be a cavern there that will lead to a large air pocket within the cave. There are several down there so let's hope that I'll survive that long to tell you which one to go to." Viet had her bag laid down near the shore of the lake and left other belongings only leaving her with her clothing on her as well as the earrings that Lukas gave her in her pocket that was securely closed by a zipper (zippers existed in this time period seeing how there are video chats as well), and bare feet.

Haru flew towards the other end of the lake while Viet took a few steps back then ran towards the lake, jumping, then diving into the cold water. She cupped her hands and pushed the water passed her to give her an extra push before she started to kick and lift her arms above the water and sliding it back into the liquid, swimming away from her belongings.

The cold water made Viet swim faster than what she was used to, trying to make her movements keep her body warm. The minutes she swam to the middle of the lake felt long and tortuous. Her body started to slow down from exhaustion. The freezing touch of the water was the only thing keeping her awake and not wanting to allow the water to take over her lungs.

When she made it to the shore of the lake, she panted heavily. Fog was forming from her hot breath and the cold air surrounding her. She wondered how it could be so could in such a warm place as Vietnam. She thought again of how this place had no chance in absorbing the energy from the sun outside and accepted the fact that it was cold in the cavern for scientific reasons.

She placed her arms on the edge of land, seeing how it didn't gradually rose up to land. She allowed her legs to float loosely and leaned her head back. Viet suddenly remembered the earrings and quickly slid her hand through the water to her pocket, where she felt the square lump, making her relieved.

"Tired?" asked Haru, hovering above Viet's head.

"When I swam through freezing water that is as big as the Nile River? I would think so," she answered sarcastically. Haru chuckled and landed on her head.

"You'll have more enjoyment flying than swimming. Honestly, I can't wait until that happens." Viet was silent, unsure of what she felt because she never flew before. The only person she knew who had the ability to fly were the men in Northern America or so she heard where they created machines that could fly people. No one in Asia, and she had no doubt about Europe either, had seen the contraption so had doubt if it even existed.

"Ready to go underwater now little one?" asked Haru.

Viet took a deep breath and slowly let it out. "I am ready. How can we see though if its as dark as it is now?"

"You'll see," answered Haru. The vague answer made Viet excited, curious, and doubtful. Viet held the bird under her arm and bobbed her head into the water after taking a deep breath. She swam down until she thought she was hallucinating as she saw a single speck of light moving underneath her. After a few seconds, lights started to glow from aquatic plants that she had never seen before of odd shapes and different sizes. They gave off different colored lights of pale pink to a light blue to a mint green, a pale yellow and a lavender violet. She swam, in awe at her surrounding and wondered how this was possible.

In her head she heard Haru. "Do you see the cavern in front of you? Move to the tunnel above that one then enter it and turn on your first left." Viet followed his instructions to see darkness starting to dim out the lights from the plants. As she turned left, the tunnel started to move upward. Viet followed the path to see a large air pocket with light. She looked around to find the closest place for her was to get out of the water. She first placed Haru on her shoulder, making sure he was okay. He shook his feathers, splashing the water and making his feathers like a fluffy mess of a pillow. Viet couldn't help but giggle at his appearance.

The falcon flew off and deeper into the cave without a word. Viet saw his eyes and knew it wasn't from embarrassment. His eyes were excited and intent on looking for something. Viet quickly got out of the water and ran after the bird. The soft and gentle feeling she felt before became a feeling of passion and determination. It was strong... What else could she describe it? This feeling was unknown to her. She had never felt anything so strong before. Not even from Yao who gave her the determination to survive and fight. This passion, this strength, she admired it yet she was also scared.

The light of the air pocket became brighter as she saw on what looked like a limestone alter was a translucent orb with a mixture of red, orange and yellow. The orb looked like the colors were dancing inside of it, like fire flickering and moving in rhythm with the wind that makes it move.

A flash jolted and Viet gasped as she saw something that was not there.

* * *

"Haru, I need you to promise me something," said a feminine voice under a dark cloak. The lights from above danced on the cavern walls but it seemed that shadows also stealthily danced in the corners of the room.

"What is it master?" the red falcon asked, his eyes staring at the person in front of as her back was facing away from the bird and towards a stone alter, neatly cut and smoothed out unlike what Viet had just saw of a chipped and dusty piece of stone where the orb sat.

The cloaked person rested her right hand on the alter. "If anything is to happen to me, you must protect the Fire Orb with all your power. This is a sacred place and there is a very small chance for the Seraphim to find this place but..." She paused for a moment, her hand clenched into a fist. "But, we still have to be cautious. Their power grows stronger by the moment and I am worried that they might surpass me and Lukas together. You must live on if I am to die and not succeed in this mission to stop the Seraphim." The cloaked woman pulled back the hood from her face and turned to face Haru, her eyes filled with worry and sorrow. She walked to Haru and gently placed her hand on the side of Haru's face.

"Do not say that you shall not complete what has set been given to us to do."

"I have my doubts though, Haru. You know this is all true."

"Then please do what you must..."

* * *

The flashback ended and Viet stood there confused.

"Is something wrong?" asked Haru.

"Ah, well, when I saw the orb it seemed that I saw a vision of my ancestor and you in here talking about what would happen if she... failed her mission, I guess you can say." Viet was nervous to tell this to Haru but she felt that it might be able to answer her questions that she had.

Haru was silent trying to remember that moment in his life over two hundred years ago.

"I remember," Haru said hesitantly. "My master, your ancestor, was able to grant me eternal life until my task is done. She was completely worried and had her doubts yet she still did not give up in battle or when she talked to other people. She only confined her true feelings to me or to Lukas' ancestor. Strangely enough, both you and Lukas share the same names as your ancestors." Viet stared at Haru who was trying to keep his composure as he talked about his past.

Viet walked up to him and gave Haru a small hug, surprising the bird. "Don't worry Haru. Your master's mission has not failed. Not yet. I will finish her task and make sure you will no longer have to suffer this again."

"Thank you, Viet. Get the orb. The Seraphim were following us and they are most likely waiting for us to come out with the orb. Let us be aware and swift like the wind. We now have to get out of here."

"Does that mean I have to swim again?" Viet asked, dread filling her voice.

"Regretfully, yes, we do if you want to get your belongings back." Viet sighed.

"Let's hope that we can find a way to bring the orb back without me letting go of it..."

"It is big enough for me to carry in my talons to the other side. How else did I get it here?"

Viet nodded and ran back to the water.

* * *

_Time lapse..._

* * *

"The next time we come here, I'd rather go to the top of the mountain," Viet said, panting, as she climbed out of the water to her bag and spear.

"That is why I preferred it. I'd rather go through danger and a long hike than swimming in cold water." Haru placed the orb in Viet's hands which she then put in her bag. She took out a piece of bread and broke it in half for her and Haru.

"Time to eat if we want enough energy to get anywhere."

"Agreed." They took their time eating and warming themselves with a fire that Viet made that floated about an inch above the ground. Within about twenty minutes they finished and started walking out of the cavern, dodging stalagmites and ducking from long, hanging stalactites.

The opening of the cave became apparent and Viet was hesitant to get outside right away. She breathed in and out, keeping her composure before she faced what she knew what was coming. She ran outside only to be knocked down by a shadow that she could barely see. Viet groaned and gripped the bag in her left hand as she held her spear in her right.

She heard the rush of the wind, telling her that she was about to get hit again. Before that could happen she had a shield of fire surround her. The shadow that hit the shield screamed in pain and backed away. Viet saw its form to be of an animal that she had scene once but couldn't remember the name to. It had a big ears, almost like a rabbit but pointed upward like a dog. It's head reminded her of a deer but it stood on its hind legs that it seemed to use to jump with. It's lower body was large and its stomach seemed to have a pouch to put something in. Its tail was large and snakelike but acted more like a dogs tail and was covered in dark fur.

Suddenly it clicked. "A... kangaroo?" The kangaroo was a little taller than Viet and had strong muscles. It hopped at her and tried to land a punch on Viet which she dodged. _Do they Seraphim use all the animals on this planet?_ Viet thought to herself._  
_

It started to jab punches at Viet that were much quicker than she had seen anyone punch before. The punches made Viet stumble and fall. It jumped and was about to land on Viet but she rolled away just in time before she was crushed by the kangaroo. Viet quickly got up and swung her spear at the kangaroo.

The kangaroo jumped back and tried to hit Viet again but failed as Viet motioned a threat as she stabbed her spear into the side of the animal. It growled in pain as it backed away. When Viet was about to stab it once more, the kangaroo swung around, knocking Viet down with its tail. It took Viet some time to recover but the kangaroo hopped to her bag and ripped it open with its paw. The orb came rolling out.

"No!" screeched Haru as his feathers turned into fire and he slashed the kangaroo with his burning wing. Viet grabbed her spear and put fire around it then stabbing the kangaroo in the head. It then disappeared into a gray smoke.

Viet ran to the orb and held it in her hands then stared at it to see if it was okay. She could feel the warm power coming from the orb and sighed in relief. She looked at the bag then reached into her pocket to bring out a smaller bag. She salvaged what ever food was still good and placed it into the bag with the orb.

"The last time I saw a kangaroo was in Australia where I was making a treaty so that we could do trading. They were a lot cuter back then along with the koalas," Viet said still shocked to see that the Seraphim even used a kangaroo for a battle.

"Don't let it get to your head little one."

"I'll try."

* * *

_Omake_

_Me: Wah, I'm sorry I'm late. I had to go to places and I didn't have time to type this up._

_Japan: I'm quite intrigued that you put in a kangaroo to the story._

_Me: I had to! I just randomly thought of 'Tekken' then I thought of the fighting kangaroo that they had which is pretty awesome so I thought I put it in._

_Japan: Well, if it has to do with one of my games then I guess I don't really mind._

_Me: Exactly! Oh and check my deviantart page for some Planetary Moe drawings. I suggest that you guys look it up for what that is about if you don't know about it. Well, actually, look up ROSEL-D the artist of Planetary Moe and go to his first drawing of it in his planetary moe folder in his gallery and it will explain a good amount of it. My newest drawing is of Uranus and his genderbent/turnabout which looks awesome or so I think._

_Japan: Is it really okay for you to be advertising like this?_

_Me: I don't know but I'll do it anyway. It's nothing shameful either because this is my story._

_Japan: ..._

_Me: Next chapter, we'll see Lukas again and his adventure to get his orb. Will he succeed in getting it safely? Or will he have to face a darkness he doesn't want to face or fight?_

_Japan: Please review leaving comments, questions, predictions and other thoughts you readers have for this story or something that relates to it. Thank you._


	19. Chapter 19

_Disclaimer: I do not own the anime, characters, maybe settings and a lot of other stuff that may be mentioned_

_Ayumi Kudou: Hm, your right, I didn't make her tsundere. I never really thought about it except for a minute before I wrote this where I debated if I wanted Viet-chan to be or not be tsundere. I ended in undecided and started typing away, forgetting all about my indecisive answer to my debate._

* * *

Lukas opened his eyes to the sound of dripping outside his window. He slowly turned his head to see a gray sky with rain fallin down. The Norwegian's eyes blinked twice, slowly, before he got out of his bed. He went to his bathroom, washed his face, took a quick shower, changed his clothes into hiking clothes with a water proof jacket and pants, and went down the stairs to his kitchen.

"Good morning Lukasss," greeted Hydra who was sliding across the floor and up a stool to the kitchen counter.

"God morgen," Lukas greeted back in Norwegian.

"Are you sssure you want to ssstart thisss out in the rain?" asked Hydra.

"Do we have that much time to waste and wait?" Lukas was now drinking his black coffee that he had just made. The bitter taste was to his liking and made him wide awake. He quickly made a quick check with his sense to see if there was anything suspicious around his home.

Hydra chuckled then answered, "You ssseem to be in a russsh. I also sssee that your mental relessase of your power is easssy for you to do over a ssshort period of time. You can sssense thingsss from over a twenty meter radiusss. I am pretty sssure that Viet isss the opposssite of you by usssing her power for physssical activity."

"Mmm," Lukas replied as he drank his coffee slowly, taking in the flavor. He then ate a biscuit and started to pack bread and salted meat for his 'trip'.

_Rrrring! _The phone rang loudly and Lukas walked at a snail speed to the phone, lazy to pick it up. The ringing kept on going and when the Norwegian made it to the phone, he was irritated to the point where he wanted to destroy the machine. He picked up the phone and placed it next you his ear and said, "Hallo?"

"Lukas, did you take a long time on purpose?" asked a fuzzy but familiar voice from the other side of the phone.

"What if I did?" A sigh came from the phone.

"Anyway, I was wondering if you wanted to hang out a bit before the next meeting," Emil said.

"Huh, why the sudden need to want to hang out with your big brother?" asked Lukas, intrigued by what his younger sibling said.

"Don't say that! I'm kind of bored so I thought that we can just hang out."

"I'll see what I can do. Just, not now. I have to go on a hike to get some things for my boss. As weird as that sounds, I have to go."

"When will you be back?"

"I don't know. I'll call you when I do then, okay?"

"Fine." A buzz now took over the sound of the phone. Lukas stared at the phone in his hand and started to become deep in thought. Hydra slithered her way on top of the night stand where the phone sat and hissed.

"You know that it isss a trap." Lukas was quiet but he nodded his head. What happened to his baby brother? Why did the Seraphim use him? To get to Lukas? The Norwegian was hesitant and unsure. "You have been cautiousss with your brother but any movesss or sssignsss of hossstility, even if it looksss like he wantsss to get clossser to you, is dangeroussss. We have noticed thisss sssince you have reunited with him and the othersss sssince Egypt."

"I know. I can't abandon him though."

"We can sssave him, jussst not yet." Lukas nodded again and placed Hydra on his shoulder.

"Let's go." He walked out his door and followed the snake's instructions as of where to go.

The next few days were uneventful besides the constant rainfall and in one afternoon, snow was falling ever so gently. There was no movement besides the walking of Lukas and sometimes Hydra's hiss or slithering. Sometimes there would be one or two deer trotting in the forest or a bear that is looking for food even though it should be hibernating.

Lukas slept in a cave to keep his body from experiencing the cold weather outside. He had set up a fire and he ate in silence with Hydra curled up next to him, sleeping. He stared at the swirling flames wondering how long it would be until this all ended saying that it will end. Lukas had doubts only because he was seeing the people that he cared about under the control of the Seraphim. Almost everyone was in their control because they were only pawns used to set up the board where the next turn could be humans' downfall. One wrong move and they could lose their freedom.

His eyes started to feel heavy and soon Lukas was asleep.

The next morning, the Norwegian saw the fire was out and Hydra was no longer next to him but in his lap, trying to keep herself warm.

"Cold?" Lukas asked.

"I am a cold blooded animal. I may be different from other sssnakesss but I ssstill dissslike the cold."

"I see..." An awkward silence filled the cave until Hydra gave a hiss of surprise. "What is it?"

"Thisss cave... We're here without me knowing it." Lukas was silent with the expression that said 'Really?' The teal-colored snake hiss in amusement and then slithered to the back of the cave, motioning Lukas to follow her.

"Follow me Lukasss." The Norwegian got up and followed the snake despite how irritated he was with her. Suddenly a loud boom was heard and the mouth of the cave collapsed behind Lukas. Hydra and the Norwegian turned around, startled.

"What just happened?" asked Lukas. He then checked the area for any signs of life or a dark power but found none. "There's nothing around us..."

"The Ssseraphim mussst have launched a far ranged attack. That isss mossst likely the reassson why we can't sssenssse them. Let usss hurry." The two fastened their pace down the cave. It became dark but with one hiss from the teal snake, crystals began to glow blue, lighting the rest of the tunnel. Lukas looked around amazed by the phenomenon. It was like the magical nights with his fairy friends who would light up the winter nights when he was alone and his family were out at work. The nostalgia he felt never compared to the ones he felt before and a cool peace overcame his body.

"This is amazing. It's like magic," Lukas said.

"I found thisss cave and the crystalsss reacted to the magic we let out by glowing. With that I figured that I could cast a ssspell that would allow them to glow by just my hisss. It can ssstop glowing if I were to hisss again. The area is alssso a sssacred area of the Water Dragon ssso it keepsss unwanted visssitorsss out. The sssame goes for the hiding ssspot for the Fire Orb of the Fire Bird," Hydra explained.

Lukas grunted in understanding and continued walking. The tunnel was long and they walked for about 20 more minutes. Even though the long distance of walking, Lukas didn't mind, still fascinated by the glowing and sparkling crystal structures around him. Soon, they entered a chamber that was even more dazzling than the crystals in the cave.

The chamber was in the shape of a dome where crystals extended from all directions and light blue lights being emitted from them. In the center of the chamber was a large lake filled with clear water. The shore of the lake had a walkway that led to a small island in the middle of the lake where there was an alter and a crystal blue orb on it. The lights from the crystals were reflected by the water making lights dance around the cave. The water was still but Lukas felt as if it were stirring with excitement as he and Hydra entered the chamber. A power had spread throughout Lukas body which felt tranquil and cool like when you dip you toe in the water to find it too cold to enter slowly. There was a small feeling of passion and protection as well as he walked closer to the orb.

"Can you feel it Lukasss?" asked Hydra softly. She slithered to the edge of the lake and looked down at her reflection. "The orb isss calling. The time hasss come for usss to fight..."

"This feeling is gentle... It's cold but a nice kind of coldness. It is as if it is for calming or healing."

"That isss what water isss usssually meant for. There isss force in water but it'sss propertiesss isss more for healing of body and mind. There are timesss where fire can help with healing but it isss useeed more for pain rather than pleasssure. That isss why you are ssstronger with your power mentally than physically," explained Hydra.

Lukas walked forward to the edge of the walkway, unsure if he wanted to continue to the orb. He breathed in then out, slowly and deeply. he gave himself a slow pace as he walked toward the alter. The reflections of the lights from the water danced on Lukas' face distracting him every few minutes. He stopped for a moment halfway to the orb and looked down into the water. He saw more crystals in the water that were also glowing, trying to out-best the other with its brightness.

He continued walking, still slowly to the island that contained that old and crumbled alter and the gleaming blue orb. Once he stepped onto the island, a flash appeared before his eyes and a person and a familiar animal that he did not see there before was there.

* * *

The man stood in front of the alter, his back to Lukas and a teal snake. His hair was similar in style and color to Lukas' making the Norwegian recognize him as his ancestor.

"Hydra, I think you already know what I am about to say."

"Massster..." The past Hydra hissed in sorrow as her eyes sadly watched the man put his hand on top of the alter.

"If something were to happen to me, I want you to bring the orb here and protect it. Despite the sacredness of this place, we cannot be too careful. I am afraid that the Seraphim's power has increased incredibly over a short period of time where as we need patience and training to get us to where we are now," the man said.

"How can you doubt our power Massster?" questioned Hydra, shocked.

"I am not doubting the power the Water Dragon has given me. I am just taking an extra of measure of caution. I have talked to Viet and we both have decided to do this in case anything will happen."

A tear ran down Hydra's small face. The man turned around to see this and gave a reassuring smile. He walked to the snake and kneeled down. He picked up Hydra and held her to his chest. "I will not give up without a fight. I shall, within my power, protect this world and to continue to protect it, we must think of all possibilities. Please allow me to give you what is needed to be done."

"If it isss for the bessst of the world, I ssshall not defy you, Lukassss," said Hydra with conviction.

* * *

The flashback ended and Lukas felt a pain in his chest. The power of the orb became stronger than before. Lukas placed his hand on his heart to find it beating quickly.

"Isss sssomething wrong Lukasss?" asked Hydra, obviously not having seen the flashback.

"I saw you and my ancestor in here, talking about what would happen if something bad were to happen to him," the Norwegian explained bluntly.

Hydra hissed in memory. "I remember." She then chuckled at the thought of what happened. "After he gave me eternal life until my mission is complete, I teased him about his relationship with Viet. Strangely both you and Viet share the same names as your ancestors." Lukas slightly blushed and ignored what she said. _It's not like we will go through a similar relationship._ Lukas thought to himself.

He slowly reached his hand out touched the orb sending chills down his spine. He cupped his hands and held the blue, round crystal in his hands. He could hear waves of an ocean softly splashing and moving in and out of a sandy beach. It was nostalgic as he remembered when he was younger with Emil and his biological parents who brought them to the beach and they saw whales far away but still distinguishable, blowing out water from their spouts and some jumping out of the water that evening. Lukas smiled to himself at the memory then placed the orb in his bag. The power of the orb flowed throughout his body and Hydra could see the excitement in Lukas' usually stoic eyes.

"There isss another way out. It might take usss longer to get back to your houssse though," Hydra said.

"That's fine."

Hydra slithered to another tunnel and Lukas followed. This tunnel also had crystals but instead of the glowing blue like before, they were of different colors of the rainbow. Again, Lukas was mesmerized by the crystals sparkling in the dark cave. Hydra found it amusing how Lukas was easily amazed by such things. It must have been normal to Hydra because she entered this cave numerous times.

They continued walking for about half an hour until sunlight was at the entrance of the tunnel. It was evening and Lukas found himself at a beach where the sky were the colors of orange, yellow, pink and purple. The sun was setting and the ocean glimmered in the last sun rays of the day. He saw from a distance, the silhouettes of whales jumping out of the water (cliche much? or at least in this chapter).

Something than threw itself into Lukas causing him to fall down. Hydra hissed in anger and shock. Lukas quickly got up on his feet and turned around to see an unusually large and colored crab standing in front of him. Its claws were as big as his pillow and looked as hard as a rock. It's body was large like a table and it's legs were thick and sharp.

It opened its claws and two balls of black formed. Lukas took out his sword and covered it with water. When the blackened orbs were shot at him he slashed his water-covered sword at the them causing small explosions. The Norwegian than shot water at the feet of the crab where the sand absorbed the water and making the crab sink in it. The wet sand slowed the crabs movements as it tried to jump onto Lukas who blocked it by putting its sword in front of his face. He pushed the sword forward, forcing the crab back. He then had the salt water from the ocean suspend the crab in the air and creating current in the liquid to limit the crustacean's movements. Lukas then forced his sword into the crab's underside making it squirm in pain then disappeared into a cloud of smoke.

"That's what I get for letting my guard down for one second..." said Lukas. He panted heavily from the sudden battle but let out a sigh of relief knowing that he was finish. Suddenly he felt a stronger force on top of the cave. The Norwegian looked up to see a man clad in black stand on top of the mouth of the cave. A smirk appeared on his face as he saw the surprised look that Lukas gave.

"Kesesese. It seems that you became stronger in a shorter amount of time than your ancestor. I'm looking forward to our battle. Be prepared to face the Awesome Me!" His red eyes glinted with mischief and white hair flowed with the small breeze that came. A black flame than engulfed his body and he disappeared.

"What?" Lukas asked to no one in particular, confused as of what just happened. Hydra hissed in disgust as she saw the last of the black flame disappeared.

"It looksss like Gilbert wasss alssso trapped with hisss massster. We will have a hard time in the future," Hydra said, not wanting to explain further. "We ssshould get going."

"Right." Lukas could feel Hydra's distaste and did not question further. Who was Gilbert? What role did he play with the Seraphim? Why did he look familiar?

* * *

_Omake_

_Me: It seemed kind of unnecessary for me to add in about their ancestors relationship but meh, I don't feel like erasing it now._

_Prussia: The Awesome Me also debut in the present time where the action starts to rise! Kesesese!_

_Me: *Smiles* Right. Well, I have a question Prussia-san._

_Prussia: No need to be formal with the Awesome Me. What's your question?_

_Me: People say that you and Germany-san are alike in an unorthodox way. How so?_

_Prussia: It's true that I'm more care free than my little brother but we do have some things in common. For example, we always keep our stuff organize and neat! Not many people notice it unless they know us for a long period of time._

_Me: I see! Hm, when I think about it, I have seen your guys' belongings pretty organized either by color, alphabetized, and chronologically. Next chapter... I don't know yet so I guess it'll be a surprise._

_Prussia: Please review about the Awesome Me and/or comment, criticize, etc. for this chapter!_


	20. Chapter 20

_Disclaimer: I do not own the anime, characters, maybe settings and a lot of other stuff that may be mentioned._

_Tj99joy: I never played Skyrim but I have heard of it. I'm honestly not surprised that a game like that would make you go on adventures where you just have to get a single item. Been there and done that with Pokemon. There will probably be a lot of linking chapters because I think it's fun doing it. Have I not had a single chapter link between to different settings before? I would call them flashbacks or visions. Depends on what you prefer though. ^_^ Still can't wait if you do put up the one-shot._

_Ayume Kudou: Prussia is ready to do anything at anytime because he is awesome like that. In other words you might have to worry now or maybe later. I won't say~ Vietnam should stay that way. I'm kind of tired with tsundere characters after a long period of time. Not that I have anything against tsunderes but I think we have enough of them in Hetalia. If she starts turning out tsundere tell me so that I can reread my work and change it._

* * *

"What a long week," Lukas said to Hydra as he slumped into his armchair with a cup of black coffee in his hands. He took a sip and stared at the orb laying on his desk. He thought about his adventure on getting the orb and had questions buzzing in his mind though he was too tired to ask them at the moment for it was midnight when he returned home.

"Are you going to call your younger brother?" asked Hydra. She wrapped her long scaly body around the orb ready for any attack that might be launched at them if the enemy wanted the orb.

"I'm going to have to sooner or later. I'll probably do it tomorrow morning or something like that. It's too late to call. Though with the presence of the orb here, I don't know if we'll be able to hide it." Hydra chuckled and Lukas gave her a look. "What?" he asked not wanting to deal with her humor.

"I'll apply an invisssible ssshield around it where no one can notice itsss presssence. The Ssseraphim are not invincible and I have enough power to do ssso, ssso I do not think we have much of a problem."

Lukas huffed and said, "You could have said something sooner."

"You never sssaid anything about it." She chuckled again and started to walk up to bed. He took a quick shower and put on his pajamas. He slipped into his bed and pulled his covers over his head, allowing the warmth of the sheets to make him drift to sleep. Hydra slithered under the covers somehow bringing the orb along with her and fell asleep next to Lukas' body.

The next morning the sound of the wind howling and rain banging loudly on the roof woke Lukas up. He groaned and when he turned in his bed, he found Hydra and the orb next to him. Lukas saw a small comfort in seeing a peaceful snake in his bed with a beautiful blue crystal-like orb... Almost. Waking up with a snake in his bed became normal yet life threatening to other people so he tried to keep Hydra out of sight when he went into town. He then wondered if Viet had a similar problem or an easier life having a less scaring looking creature in her room.

He got out of bed and brought the crystal with him as he did his daily hygienic habits of the morning. The window frames rattled as the wind blew harder from outside. What was going on out there? Lukas made a quick check around the perimeter of his house and land only to find nothing suspicious. He walked out of the bathroom to the kitchen with the orb in his hand. It was a few centimeters larger than an orange and completely occupied one hand.

The light inside the house and from the flashing lightening reflected from the orb making blue lights dance along the walls. It was beautiful as the mixture of transparent blues within the orb which seemed to flow around like water. Lukas stared at it for a moment until he noticed that he was no longer on the stairs but of the first floor of his house. He walked over to the hooks attached to the walls and grabbed a bag that was large enough to hold only the orb. He placed the blue crystal into the bag and slung the handle of the bag over his head and on his shoulders.

Lukas walked down the hall and through a door to the a light-colored room containing a stove, an oven and several other cooking utensils. He was about to open the refrigerator door when he heard his phone rang. The Norwegian sighed in disappointment but walked to the phone anyway. He picked it up.

"Hallo?"

"Lukas?" said a voice from the other side.

"I was going to call you later Emil," the Norwegian said tiredly.

"I was starting to get worried since you haven't called about a week."

"What I had to get for my boss was pretty well hidden so I wasn't able to contact you for a while."

"I see..." A silence separated the siblings for a moment. They both heard something different in each other's voice. They sounded the same yet different. Lukas sounded more... emotional to Emil. He sounded less stoic or emotional for some reason. Emil knew his brother was associated with the Water Dragon but he couldn't turn him away completely. Lukas was his brother.

Lukas could hear a coldness in Emil's voice. He did notice that his brother was sincere about his worried state of mind but he couldn't help but feel that it was for a different reason. He closed his eyes and sighed.

"So, do you want to meet sometime?" asked Lukas, breaking the silence.

"Sure. At the usual place or at one of our houses?"

"Let's eat at my place since the weather seems to be acting up and I don't want to go out."

"You're being lazy Lukas."

"I'll see you next week around noon then, Emil," Lukas said.

"Wait! I didn't agree to-" Lukas cut the last part off of what his younger brother was about to say because he knew it was going to turn into an argument.

The Norwegian stared at his house phone and saw that it was getting worn out. The black buttons with the faded out, white numbers, were dull and didn't have a gloss to it due to the fact that he had this phone since his adopted parents gave it to him when he decided to live out on his own. His parents had this phone years before he was even born and looking at it now, it was still in good shape but old-fashioned and starting to become more difficult to operate from it behind used over a several years.

Lukas placed the phone back, shoving the feeling of nostalgia away and walked into the kitchen, orb in hand. Why was he feeling so much nostalgia lately? Lukas didn't know and soon forgot about his thoughts when he saw Hydra on the island of the kitchen and stared at the refrigerator.

She hisses impatiently as she stared at the door. "Lukasss, you need to hurry up and get breakfassst. I feel ssstarving," commented the snake as she slithered in agitation.

"Sorry about that. Emil just called. We'll see him in about a week here," explained Lukas. He placed the orb on the island then opened the refrigerator and took out a container that contained sliced pieces of raw meat which he prepared for Hydra when she wanted to eat, and several buttery biscuits for himself. Using his cold and dried hands, Lukas placed the red meat, marbalized by lines of fat and wet with ruby colored blood onto a plate. He washed his hands in the sink and prepared hot, black coffee for himself. He then took a biscuit and took a bite into one of the savory and buttered down biscuit. Despite being in the refrigerator, the pastry bread was still soft and contained a blastful of flavor. Each bite he took melted into his wet and warm mouth.

The coffee was soon done and he poured into into his mug that was decorated like the flag of Norway. He took a sip tasting his favorable bitter taste of the coffee. Lukas finished four cups of his coffee and all of the biscuits after about another half hour still standing on the island where he set his food and Hydra's food on.

"Now I underssstand why Arthur sssaysss butter-licking in hisss name calling when he isss irritated at you," commented Hydra as she stared at Lukas' finished plate that was once filled with a large amount of biscuits. There weren't even crumbs on it that could have indicated what kind of food was on the platter.

"It helps with digestion," argued Lukas quite stoically. There was silence between the two. They both stared at the orb as if they were afraid someone was about to take it. Something else was on the Norwegian's mind though. "Hydra," he said, "what am I suppose to do with the orb now? I feel that it can give me power but to keep it with me at all times like this is somewhat troublesome."

"There isss another way to carry it around much easssier," Hydra said.

"What is it?" Lukas asked with curiosity.

"You mussst prove yourssself to the Water Dragon," Hydra said bluntly, not explaining further.

"How?" Lukas questioned once more but with slight irritation.

"I will tessst you," replied the teal colored snake.

"You are not going to tell me any more, are you?"

"No. It hasss to be a sssurprissse." Lukas sighed, knowing that arguing with the reptile was no use.

"When do we begin?" Lukas asked his last question... kind of.

"Why not now? The weather isss perfect. The ocean ssshould be quite raging today."

"What?!" Lukas exclaimed, spitting out the coffee he was about to swallow. A dark brown liquid was sprayed onto the floor and the light-colored walls. Hydra's eyes was filled with a blue light then disappeared. A ball of water was formed in front of her and it moved across the floor and walls cleaning up the sprayed coffee.

"Come outssside for a sssecond Lukasss and you will sssee what you are up againssst," Hydra said, not surprised by Lukas' shock. She calmly slithered down the island and outside the kitchen, making her way to the front door. Lukas grabbed his coat and sword, just in case she forced him to go without getting prepared.

He walked outside his front door to see a large reptile outside his house with wings. Its scales were glistening like sapphire as it was under the heavy rain. Its wings were open and seemed to be made out of a baby-soft fabric. The muscles of its chest and legs were lean but muscular and its tail was long enough that it could knock down at least five pine trees. The claws of the beast were large in diameter like an old pine tree's trunk, sharper than a knife, and white like a pearl with the hue of a light pink and pale yellow. Its eyes were a misty blue and they looked at Lukas mischievously.

The Norwegian gaped at the European-like dragon in front of him. "Hydra?" he asked unsure if the presence he felt in front of him was the same, small, teal-colored snake he knew for about two months now.

The chuckle was the same as Hydra's and his eyes widened in shock. "I ssshall be your opponent, Lukasss. Thisss tessst will make sssure you are ready to be the Guardian of the Water Dragon. Are you ready?" she asked in a strong and determined voice. Before he could respond, Hydra grabbed him with one of her reptilian feet and flew off, high above the cloud through booming lightning and thunder, and hard, cold, battering rain. Lukas closed his eyes from the instant Hydra took him off his feet.

Soon he felt only cold wind blowing into his face. No more lightning or thunder or cold, harsh rain. Lukas slowly opened his eyes to see large cotton balls of different shapes like mountains or ducks surrounding him and the sapphire dragon.

"It's beautiful," commented Lukas at the sight before him. He recognized the cotton balls around him as clouds and the sun seemed larger and brighter than he had ever seen before. The majestic clouds around him changed their shape as Hydra flew into them or the wind she created forged the wet substance into a curve or formed a hole.

"Let me tell you a ssstory Lukasss. Thisss wasss during the beginning of time. The beginning of the Earth." Hydra's voice became soft and memorable. She cleared her throat and began, "Our Lord and Master, out God as you know made this earth. He made man and woman, the land, the sea, and the sky. He gave light and darkness into this world. Adam and Eve were the first humans ever on Earth and there were many other animals that were created. But to create all this, He divided his power into four parts: water, fire, wind, and earth. There he not only created the my master, the Water Dragon and Haru's master, the Fire Bird. God also created two other beings along with us, the Earth Tiger and the Water Tiger. Before, my master was once known as the Sky Dragon until a tragedy happened."

"Hydra, you aren't hissing your 's' anymore," interrupted Lukas.

"This tends to happen when I am in my dragon form. Haru also has another form but that is another story. Let me finish this," commanded Hydra.

"Sorry," Lukas apologized quickly, wanting to listen more to Hydra's tale.

"The four of them created the land, sea, sky, and life here on Earth. The legend you hear now is false when it says that the Water Dragon has always ruled the ocean and I would think you would know who was in charge of what. Anyway, as humankind multiplied as hundreds of years past, the masters soon became seen as deities along with the Lord but He was seen as the highest god, in a number of religions and cultures. The Seraphim existed back then as well, as a mysterious power." Hydra's eyes narrowed and Lukas could feel her resent.

"Towards the end of the First Dark War, the Earth Tiger betrayed our Lord and sided with the Seraphim. God took away his powers and allowed the land to grow at its own pace in the different regions of the world as the power from the once powerful tiger, seeped into the Earth. The Earth Tiger soon died because its power was not adjusted to the loss of power. In the Second Dark War between God and the Seraphim, the Water Turtle was at the brink of death after fighting the Seraphim. Knowing that he could not let his power fall into the wrong hands, it soon gave its power to the Sky Dragon and died.

"The Sky Dragon could not hold the power of itself and of its partner and so allowed its power to seep into the earth as the power of the Earth Tiger's had. The wind might not seem like it but it can control itself and will work with a mind of its own. That is how the Sky Dragon became the Water Dragon. The Seraphim and our God has been fighting for millennias." Suddenly, Hydra dived into the clouds and soon Lukas saw the gray land underneath him with the flashing lightning , the crashing waves and the dropping rain. They were over the sea and Hydra dropped Lukas over it. Quickly grasping at the situation, Lukas was able to stop his crash by making himself stand on water.

"I applaud you Lukas. You learn quite fast." Lukas narrowed his eyes, trying to prepare himself for whatever was to be done to him. "Ever since the deaths of their companions, the Water Dragon and the Fire Bird decided to have guardians of their power which are now in the form of the orbs. If the guardians prove worthy to our masters, the orb will merge with them and grant them power unimaginable, to protect the world from the darkness that surrounds us! Lukas, I believe that you and Viet can do this... End this madness that the Seraphim has caused. I no longer want to live for I have lived for too long and have suffered so much. Pity me Lukas for I am burdened with this task to seek an end to this cause. I wish for peace to come not only for the world of others but also for myself. You do not understand the pain of seeing the ones you love die over and over again when you live so long..." At first Hydra's voice was strong and determined but towards the end... she began to sound as if she was pleading... begging.

"I will do what I can to help Hydra. To make sure that everyone is happy, even if it means my own sacrifice," Lukas replied to her pleading eyes. "For the world, for you, for the people I love."

"Thank you Lukas. With that, your goal is to catch me off guard or until I concede defeat." Lukas took a stance ready to defend himself. Hydra's eyes became excited and mischevious once more. She gave a loud roar and jumped, soon diving into the storming waves and causing a huge splash. Seeing what was going on, Lukas ran, hoping that Hydra would have less of a chance to catch him off guard.

A large object shot out of the ocean and water fell on top of Lukas. He heard wings flapping and he tried to run only to find himself in the grip of Hydra's hind claws. She flew upward then went soaring down almost hitting the ocean. Several feet above the surface, Hydra threw him into the water causing a cold and shocking pain spreading through Lukas' body.

He hit the water with his back making it stiff and unbearable to feel. He slowly got up and felt Hydra's aura flying towards him. He looked up and shot water at Hydra which she dodge most of except for the last one but she did not flinch. Somewhat disappointed, he tried to analyze a weakness in Hydra's movements. She was far away and the rain made the sights around him blurry. Needing to decide quickly, Lukas made three pillars of water, one to lift him up close to Hydra's height when she flew, and the other two so that he could shoot water at Hydra faster than him trying to force the water go faster than when it was about twenty meters under him.

Lukas blasted water at where the wings were attached to Hydra's back and restricted her movements by making a current in the water. Hydra fell but landed on the surface of the water and roared, trying to use her own magic to stop Lukas'. Lukas struggled for controlled as he fought mentally with Hydra over the control of her wings. The cold water and the rushing water was starting to make the dragon numb. She stopped fighting over her wings and started to run on all fours towards the pillar of water that Lukas was on.

Suddenly, Lukas felt that he could no longer control the pillars of water. The water that lifted him up soon engulfed him into the freezing liquid. Lukas concluded that Hydra wasn't using her all when she was fighting for the freedom of her wings. Lukas gave up trying to keep control of the pillars and the ones that did not have him, fell back into the dark and stormy sea. The Norwegian struggled to move withinthe liquid but could barely move. He only managed to make an air bubble for himself to breath in. Lukas gasped at the moment air touched his face, freeing him from suffocation. He let his body go limp since he knew he could not fight Hydra this way. He and Hydra had strong magical abilities that could allow them to find each other even if they somehow got blinded.

Lukas started falling and the fall shocked him. He crashed into the water, making no attempt to allow himself to stay on the surface of the water.

"Is that the best you can do Lukas?! How can you fight the Seraphim with only this much of an attempt? Have you really tried to fight? Have you given up?" cried Hydra. These words... Was she mocking him? Lukas' blood started to boil. Had he really given his best? At this point, he realized he never used everything that he had learn up to this day. He not only could use this magic that the Water Dragon gave him, that Hydra gave him. There were other things he had in his sleeves.

The blue orbs that once showed no emotion, became fired up with determination. Lukas placed both hands on the surface of the water and lifted himself up out of the cold water. The wind that blew into his face was harsh and made his muscles numb but the fire burning in his hot kept him going.

"I will never give up! I realized that for the past month, I have been trying to master a power that I cannot control without controlling the rest of myself. I have more up my sleeves Hydra!" Lukas yelled. The sudden outburst startled Hydra but she was impressed by his passion that she knew was obviously there.

"Show me what you've got then, Lukas," she taunted. The dragon crouched and charged at Lukas. The Norwegian had put his hand in front of him. A white circle surrounded him making him the center. The language and markings on the circle lighted up.

"My true nature! My own magic!" cried Lukas. Hydra pounced at Lukas but she was knocked back by another enchanted circle that came from Lukas palm. The power was one that Hydra had never experienced before. She quickly recovered and slowly circled around Lukas. Lukas kept his eye on Hydra and turned his body around as the reptile circled him.

Hydra growled then open her mouth wide, releasing shards of ice at Lukas. Lukas siad another incantation and arrows of light shot back, ready to hit the shards of ice. Once the two forces touched, they exploded into a powder of light that sparkled even in the storm.

The dragon smirked with pleasure, finally seeing Lukas' potential. Without notice, Hydra jumped then released the water from her wings and began to flap. As she was right over Lukas' head, she breathed out another storm of ice shards. Lukas made another magical shield above him, stopping the shards of ice that were about to hit him. He quickly made the shield disappeared and shot water at Hydra's eyes. He quickly ran towards her and yelled one last spell.

Ropes of light appeared in the air and then pinning her down on the beach that was behind her. Without thinking, Lukas unsheathed his sword and brought it down but then stopped, hovering above her throat by inches.

Lukas panted heavily as he looked into Hydra's eyes. Her misty blue orbs glimmered with excitement and anticipation. The Norwegian sheathed his swords and released the light bindings that held Hydra in place.

"Well done, Lukas. You have past your test," Hydra complimented. Lukas could only manage to nod but his attention was to a faint flow that emanated from Hydra's chest. Lukas jumped off of Hydra and she also stood up. She roared into the heavens and soon, as quick as the storm had come did it vanish. The sea was at peace, no longer did waves engulfed one another or crashed onto the side of cliffs and rocks. The sky was still gray but there was no more lightning and sunlight started to peek through the clouds.

The faint light in Hydra's chest grew brighter and soon the blue crystal-like orb came out of her chest as if it were a portal to another world. The light it gave off seemed to have affected the area around it as the clouds seemed to be moving at a certain pace as well as the water of the sea which seems to be washing up on shore at a calm and happy beat.

A flash blinded Lukas' eyes but when he opened them again, a light blue light moved into Lukas' chest. His eyes widened as he absorbed the power the light gave him. His body shivered at such a powerful feeling.

"Is this the orb?" he asked.

"It is." Hydra gave a low purr that eased Lukas' excitement. "We shall train on controlling your power soon. But for now, I think you might want a break and get some rest at home.

"Definitely," Lukas agreed, suddenly feeling tired. "Thank you Hydra. You made me realized a lot of things."

"Ha, if you apologized as such a small thing as this, it makes me wonder what you would do if I were to save your life," teased Hydra.

"Don't expect too much," Lukas said.

"I expect a gigantic meal filled with the meat of pigs, cows, chickens, and mice," Hydra demanded as she lowered her back, indicating that Lukas could ride on her as she flew this time.

"I wouldn't count on it." Lukas got on Hydra and she flapped her wings, maing sand turn into clouds as she soared into the sky. The sun was starting to set and the sky became a mixture of colors.

"You have much more to learn about child witht the new powers you have, Lukas."

"I have no doubt in that."

* * *

_Omake_

_Me: Yay! I finished my 20th chapter!_

_S. Korea: And this story belongs to me da ze!_

_Me: No, it does not Yong Soo._

_N. Korea: So... What now?_

_Me: We celebrate the 20th chapter with kimchi and bim bim bap!_

_S. Korea: That is awesome da ze! So, the topic of today is-_

_Me: K-pop! There are so many cute boy bands out there as well as girl bands and other singers. My favs are Big Bang, Super Junior, and Girls Generation! I'm an ELF though and Yesung-oppa will always be my number 1!_

_S. Korea: K-pop originated in me da ze!_

_Me: I won't argue with you on that one Yong Soo. Ah, Hyung, do you listen to K-pop?_

_N. Korea: What do you think ? *glares*_

_Me: *sweatdrops* I was just asking. You don't have to show your Commie side. Geez. Well, this was an irrelevant omake but whatever. Next time we will see Viet-chan. I'm not in a mood for a summary so yeah..._

_S. Korea: Please review by commenting, complimenting my looks and - Oww! Why'd you hit me hyung?_

_N. Korea: Please, just review about anything about this chapter or the story in general. _


	21. Chapter 21

_Disclaimer: I do not own the anime, characters, maybe settings and a lot of other stuff that may be mentioned._

_Ayumi Kudou- S. Korea: And Aniki's breast originated in me da ze! Me: ... Don't claim me at all Yong Soo or my readers' either. If you do, I will no longer allow you to appear in the Omakes. S. Korea: Fine *pouts*_

* * *

Viet woke up the the rising sun as small rays of light seeped through the window. Viet gave a loud yawn and slowly lifted herself upright. She glanced at the window then looked at the wooden stand that she had built for Haru right after she returned from obtaining the orb. The Vietnamese woman smiled. Haru was asleep as he was perched on the arm of the wooden stand. His face seemed to be at peace, especially with the cool weather that started to occur for the past few days.

Winter was approaching. It didn't snow in Vietnam but the weather started to cool down a little. A little. It was important to emphasize that because it was still... warm and humid during the winter even though almost everywhere else it was snowing or the weather still changed dramatically like twenty degrees lower than what it was during the summer or fall. The tropics tend to stay the same all year so it couldn't really feel like Christmas to tourists or people just migrating to the area when they came from a place where they wake up one morning and found five feet of snow surrounding their house. That's besides the point though.

Viet usually felt sentimental around this time of year as it reminded her of her Christmas-es with Francis, Michelle, and Monica. It was usually hectic when Francis was around but otherwise, it was quite nice, even though Viet wasn't Christian. She felt she was starting to become one though as she learned that God was real and created the Fire Bird and Water Dragon... Actually, he created four beings; the phoenix, dragon, turtle and tiger.

A few days before now, Haru had informed her of the true beginning of the earth which sounded unbelievable to her but after the past few months she had experienced, anything is believable. She figured that this was how they were important in much of Asian mythology as in most cultures, they represented North, South, East and West but in the case Viet knew it, Fire, water, earth and air.

She groaned, still trying to comprehend what was going on. It all went against what she had learned as she grew up and how the tiger betrayed them and how the turtle died and passed down its power was just... She didn't know. Everything seemed so mystical and illogical that it was all confusing. Even her feelings were making Viet anxious and confused. About a week ago, before she went to get the orb, which she now remembered to check under her pillow, she spoke to Lukas. Viet knew what she said about how they missed each other and such but she thought that it was just because they grew so close to each other like best friends would. Every time she thought about him, her heart beats fast but when she saw him, it was racing with excitement.

The Vietnamese sighed then she placed the ember-colored orb on her lap as she sat in bed. Haru slowly opened his eyes and blinked several times. He looked up nd saw the orb in Viet's lap, then he stared at her. Viet was staring at the orb, showing signs between confusion and nostalgia.

"Is something wrong child?" the falcon asked as he straightened out his back. Viet shook her head.

"I'm so confused right now. Nothing is logical whether it be the events that are happening right now or my feeligs toward... people." The hesitance Viet had before 'people' made Haru chuckled. He saw how oblivious Viet was for such a long time that whenever she mentioned about her feelings and people, the bird knew it was about Lukas specifically.

"I would not worry, child. It will all sort out one day like how we shall sort out our stomachs after you get ready." Viet giggled at Haru's statement and got out of bed, the orb in hand. Despite the orb being covered by Viet's hand, it reflected from the rising sun lights of orange and yellow and sometimes red against the walls and floor. Viet was mesmerized by the moving lights and she knew how that worked on a translucent object and some form of light. One of the first, spectacular, logical things that she had seen since she came back from Ha Long Bay.

Viet was now in a blue-walled bathroom with white, ceramic counters and bathtubs and toilets. She brushed her teeth and washed her face, refreshing her energy from the long, peaceful sleep she had in months. Haru took a gulp of water as the sink ran water as Viet was drying her face with a clean towel, before she turned it off. The Asian then got dressed into a thin, green, ao dai since the weather seemd beautiful today. Haru on the other hand, had different plans for Viet.

Haru flew swiftly and quietly down the house and into the kitchen onto another wooden stand. Apparently, Viet had ordered several to be made like the original that Viet had for Haru in almost each room of the house. Viet quickly followed and started to get out some xôi gà and started to scoop some into another bowl for Haru. Haru happily ate from the bowl as Viet got some chopsticks and used them to pick the sweet rice and savory meat into her mouth.

"Delicious food as always, little one," complimented Haru. Viet hummed in agreement as she continued to eat in pleasure.

_Knock! Knock!_

Knocking came from the door. Viet groaned, seeing how it was early in the morning and she was eating breakfast. She walked to her door and opened it, surprised by who she saw at the other side.

"Viet, come back and help me aru," was the first thing that came out of the mouth of the Chinese man. Viet narrowed her eyes and did not say anything for a while.

"Why? Why should I help you, you who does not understand that fighting only for dominance will get us no where. I believed that we fought to stop the differences between us but I guess I was wrong ever since a few weeks ago."

"I said nothing like that aru!"

"But you intend to do it! You implied that meaning or so that was what I got out of it! I can't kill for only your purpose Yao. I will fight for my people and my country. Do not think that you can win my heart back so easily with whatever argument you give me." The siblings were quiet and glared at each other. Haru was still in the kitchen but he was listening intently to the bickering.

"How do you know that I feel this way Viet? How do you know that I am guilty of such thinking aru?" Viet didn't answer. She couldn't exactly blow her cover even though she had a feeling that her brother knew about her 'secret'.

"Look, Yao, just leave me out of this war. I want to stay under the radar until I know I'm desperate for... something. Please, just go back home. You can do fine without me. Everyone knows I'm alive and so they won't worry as much as before. They can start thinking for themselves. All of them were once kids but now they are all grown up to make their own decisions. You have influence on them even if I'm not around, even if it's a little." Viet was about to shut the door but the Chinese said something that she didn't expect.

"Don't fall for that European, Viet. He isn't anything to me nor should he be anything to you. You are making a mistake to team up with who you call God and fighting for his purpose. The Seraphim will keep control of this world and bring an order to everything. Those Americans are lazy and quite young and naïve with their way of thinking and the Europeans are just as dumb and too seperated. I brought all of us together to fight. They killed your parents Viet!"

"Shut up!" Viet was trembling. Yao had always known. He knew since from the beginning when he first found her. He knew that she was the next guradian of the Fire Bird. She clenched her wrists, ready to throw a punch at Yao. "You knew all along, didn't you? You saw me and took me in, knowig what fate had in store for me. Why? Wouldn't it have been easier to kill me when you saw me? I wouldn't be opposing you right now, right? I grew up, thinking that you loved me and our siblings. I thought you were crazy for adopting so many kids but, we were happy. Was this all done just to destroy Europe? To wipe it off the map or make it become a part of Asia? Did we not fight to protect our roots and for our love? To stay together as a family? Answer me Yao... Answer me!" Tears were streaming down Viet's face, blurring her vision.

"Viet, I do love you and everyone else. I didn't want anyone to suffer anymore with the Europeans hurting us. We can make the whole world ours-"

"No! Don't you understand, Anh? The Seraphim are using you for their own needs. They'll get rid of us once they get one of our people out of the way. Whether it be th Europeans or us, they will strike and cause grief and pain. Anh, please don't do this," Viet begged. Yao's eyes became dark, no longer listening to his sister's pleas. He raised his hand high in the air and struck down to hit Viet's face.

A screech was heard. Viet saw Haru flying and attacking Yao with his talons. "Do not lie Yao! You have been alive for as long as I have and lost your younger sister to the Seraphim. Why do you team up with them? You knew she was against them," cried the bird. Yao's eyes became brown once more. He was shocked though. The bird remembered who he was and lived for about 200 years like he. How? Shouldn't this nemesis be dead? If he is still alive then he shouldn't be able to remember from the Seraphim's curse?

"I'll leave for now but do not expect me to show any mercy the next time we meet," threatened the Chinese.

"I wouldn't hope for it to happen," Viet said, her composure regained. Their eyes glared at each other once more and soon Yao walked off after he gave a quick tap to the door.

A sudden surge of electricity went through Viet's body and she shivered, feeling this before. She nervously turned her head left and right as if frantic and nervous that something was chasing her and could appear from any direction. Viet hurriedly grabbed the door knob to close it but instead, it shocked her body, makind her fall to the floor.

"Little one, are you all right?" asked Haru who landed on the ground trying to see signs of life on Viet's face. The Vietnamese woman slowly opened her eyes and hidden memories started coming back to her. Tears swelled her eyes and she began to sob while laying on the ground, her hands covering her face. "What is wrong, child?" Haru asked again, this time with deep concern in his voice.

Viet quickly dried her eyes and tried to get up. Her hands were unable to grip the floor underneath her from the shock but she managed to lean on the wall with her back.

She softly said, "When I was just a child, about a year after Yao took me in as his sister, I did something he didn't like. I don't remember what it was but it happened. Yao... He locked me in my room. I was able to break down doors at that age. What was it? I was six then I think. Anyway, he locked me up and I had been able to knock down my door before but for some reason, this time I couldn't do it. Each time I touched the door, a jolt of electricity ran through my body making me weaker after each touch. What hell... I was trapped in there for two days without food or water. I cried, scared I was abandoned again and left to die like how the Europeans had left my village in ashes.

"Yao came back though and apologized. I forgave and forgot but always remembered to behave. As I grew up, I didn't understand why I was always so polite and well-mannered but I guess I forgot. Deep inside I was afraid... It doesn't seem we'll get out of here easily." Haru snuggled into Viet's chest, trying to comfort her. How could this man, the older brother of Viet's ancestor do this to such a child?

"You will be protected, little one. I will protect you Viet," Haru said softly.

"Can you Haru? So much has happened... So much of this doesn't make sense. It's as if nothing makes sense to me anymore. There is no logic to Yao's behavior or how I feel about Lukas. There is no logic in the stories you tell me or the magic I see or the auras I feel... Everything seems like a dream." Viet began to tremble.

"Can you just accept all this then Viet? Will you accept all this and become one with the Fire Bird and end all this. If this is a dream than this is a dream that will never end until its story is complete. You must stay strong, little one and fight."

"How can I just accept this Haru? When something is not explained to me, I become confused or suspicious of something or someone. All of this is confusing and conspicuous and... and... and..." Haru knew she was in trouble and only knew one thing that can completely convince her of her purpose. Haru felt mean to do such things but for her sake and for the sake of the world.

"Forgive me little one for doing such things," Haru said suddenly. Viet was even more confused and a headache started to form. Her eyes widened when she saw flames circling around Haru. The flames turned into a red and orange tornado, increasing in size one second after another and became hotter as the flames became bigger.

The flames dispersed then disappeared, revealing an eagle-like creature that was larger than the first floor of Viet's house, causing her ceiling to be destroyed. Haru lowered his head and shook the small pieces of wood in his feathers off.

"Haru?" Viet asked shakily as her limbs weakly trembled. She quickly stood up on instinct as she stared at the cream and maroon-colored feathered raptor with a large beak that could swallow her whole and talons that were made out of metal (where did that come from? Seriously, I was bored). Haru was large enough to hold four, fully grown humans on his back.

"Child, you see these things and yet a part of you does not accept the unusual parts of life. You must see and believe otherwise you will regret it," Haru said in a deeper and down-to-earth voice.

Viet closed her eyes and shook her head, her hands grasping onto her hair. "No, no. I just can't Haru. Not now..."

"Then you will have to face the consequences until you listen!" Haru screeched. This time he was not afraid to break the house apart as he lifted his head up and expanded his wings. Debris of wood and furniture tumbled from the sky. Viet immediately braced herself and placed her hands over her head while creating a fire dome around her to burn what ever might fall on her.

Clouds of dust were everywhere and the sun was shining though a large dome of purple electricity that was around the house. This was the forcefield that stopped Viet from exiting her home. But now...

Half of the house was destroyed as Haru flapped his wings and sent strong waves of fire and wind against the house, making it break and burn.

"Viet, you do not believe in what you have experienced yet you use it to protect yourself. Little one, please do not make me do this." Viet stood there, silent and still trying to comprehend what was happening to her right now. Feeling the situation as it was right now, Haru flew a higher by a few meters than dived down towards Viet with the edge of his wings dancing with flames.

_Why? Why is this happening to me? Haru, aren't you my friend, my guide. Where are you trying to guide me now? I feel like none of this is true... but... My feelings for Lukas, they confuse me but they are true, right? Isn't my love for my family true? I went through a lot of unbelieveable things with all of them. Is Monica and Michelle true? Of course they are. They took care of me when not many other people would accept me back then. That felt real. I never understood why but I accepted it. I still wondered about it though. Before I always saw logic to the things I did except when it came to my friends and family. Why? Why do I just accept how they treat me despite my cold attitude towards them? I isolated myself from others to an extent because I could never understand. My heart though... Each time I am with them, when I speak with them, play with them, when I do anything with them, my heart just accepts. It never pushes away the feelings that I have which are illogical to my brain... Maybe I should just accept it because I know its true. I know its all real even though it doesn't make sense. Maybe this feeling that races my heart, I should only think so much and realize what its trying to tell me. With each thump I can hear what my heart says but maybe I think too much to try to understand what it wants me to say and hear... I should just accept._

Haru flew past Viet creating a large gust, throwing her against the part of the house that was still intact. Instead of hitting it and causing more of the house to collapse, Viet used her hands to press them against the wall and bounced off of it and landing on her feet. She looked up, seeing Haru fly in circles. "Looks like this was going to happen, whether Yao was here or not," the Vietnamese woman said to herself.

The gigantic bird smiled or smiled as much as he could with his beak. "It seems that you understand now, little one," he said to Viet. She smiled and nodded. He gave a loud screech of approval this time. "Now we shall get to the point of why I am doing this. You need to become stronger Viet, especially if you want to get out of this prison. To do this, I will have to test you and we will have to see if the Fire Bird accpets you as the Guardian. If my master does, then the orb shall become a part of you. Are you ready, little one?"

Viet took out her spear which was resting against the wall of the living room which half of it was destroyed. She looked up at Haru again and grinned once more. "I am as ready as I can ever be Haru!" She quickly swung her spear towards Haru which made a long wave of fire, aiming for Haru. The bird expertly dodged it but was fired at more with balls and waves of fire that came from Viet's fists, spear and kicks (firebenders ftw!).

Haru was dived down, close to the ground, flying quickly towards Viet. Viet ran towards him and jumped when he was about two meters aways and blew fire against his back. Haru screeched at the heat against his back but he healed from his burns almost immediately and flew skywards. Viet 'lit' her spear on fire and threw it at Haru as hard as she could throw it as well as it give it a boost with her own fire.

Unfortunately Haru caught the spear with his metal claws and flapped his wings to be higher in the sky. Viet grounded her teeth together, trying to think of another way to reach Haru. An idea popped into her head and put her plan to work. The Asian clenched her fists and brought her arms to her sides and her legs were straight and stood next to each other. Fire was ignited from her fists and feet, rocketing her towards the sky. Viet shifted her body, testing to see if she could turn to aim for Haru. After a minute she was able to get a hold of flying and increased her speed once she knew she was aiming for the bird. Haru flew higher, barely touching the peak of the dome but Viet was able to launch herself and grab onto her spear.

She swung her body forward and the top of her feet was on the spear and hanging her body upside down. Now what? Haru was flying in circles at a fast speed, trying to make Viet fall but she had a strong grip. Flames started to appear around Haru but he was not the one doing it. He flew faster but he could not get out of the flames. He dropped the spear making Viet fall but she was able to make the landing softer as a large bed of fire caught her and disappeared allowing her to fall gently onto the ground and catching herself with her feet.

The fire around Haru started to make a ring of fire and Haru tried to move upward and downward but was trapped in the middle of the vortex. The ring of fire gradually transformed into a tornado of fire as it spun around and trapped Haru inside of it. Haru would not risk going through the fire even though he could become a part of fire himself. If he went through the flames, he could lose parts of him to the whirling flames and might not live while if he did not transform, he could get severely burned.

Suddenly, the flames enclosed the bird and he began to panic. Viet was enclosing the fire tornado into a symmetrical, lond cylinder of spinning flames that was only as big as Haru in width. Once that was complete, Viet closed her eyes and made an explosion fire, throwing Haru against the purple, electrical dome, making him screech and become unconcious. He was falling towards the floor.

Viet didn't mean to hurt him and so she ran towards the falling bird hoping to be able to catch like how she was able to break her fall. Instead Haru was able to transform back into his falcon form and VIet caught him in her arms.

"I'm so sorry Haru. I didn't mean to do that much damage to you. Are you okay?" She was speaking quickly and with much concern. Haru chuckled and Viet could see that his wounds were healing by themselves quickly.

"I am fine little one. You did well and have quite an imagination when it comes to fighting. I apologize for destorying your home though," Haru said. The falcon shook his body and shuffled his feathers to stretch his body and make sure nothing was seriously injured which nothing was.

"That's fine. I don't know if my boss will understand how my house was destroyed but he'll let me stay at his place. I tend to go there if I'm lazy to go all the way home."

"That is good to hear. Ah, little one do you hear that?" Haru turned his head to where he heard the rubble from the destroyed home moving. Viet also looked, curious what or who was under the pile of rubble. What emerged from the pile was a floating ember-colored orb with flames dancing inside of it. It was glowing a bright orange and pale yellow and the light danced against the rubble. Viet was wide-eyed as her golden orbs reflected the sight in front of her. It flew in front of the woman and when Haru flew from her arms, it entered her body.

The sensation Viet felt was undescribable. She could feel the energy in her body increased and the power seemed uncontrollable. Once it was a part of her, Viet was shaking with excitement and anxiousness.

"You have proven yourself, child. I am proud of you. Now, are you ready to fight against the Seraphim with full power."

Viet nodded. "Definitely." She lifted her hands in front of her and allowed the energy flow to them. There was a tingling at the tips of her fingers and she allowed it to release the energy that was waiting to come out.

A bluish-white spark from one fingertip touched another and soon the electricity was moving in random directions of Viet's hands. It was a careful release of energy but now Viet was positive that she could release her power as much as she wanted.

It was as if lightning was coming from her hands as it destroyed the rest of her house and attacked the purple dome of electricity, destroying it.

"Wonder what kind of upgrade Lukas has?" Viet asked, not really asking anyone in particular.

"It is ice if you really want to know, child and something else if he succeeds in mastering that."

"I can' wait to see it then!" Viet said a little bit too excitedly.

"Your views about how you feel about him seem to change, little one," Haru commented. Viet blushed a deep red and she waved her hands in front of her face.

"Ah, it's... it's nothing like that!" Haru stared at her, knowing that that wasn't true.

Viet sighed, seeing how obvious her emotions were. "Maybe... Maybe I like him a little more than what I used to now that I know how I feel..."

"Like?" Haru questioned her word choice. Viet blushed even more.

"Fine! I love him! Happy?" She turned her back towards Haru and he chuckled. She started marching away from her house and towards town, trying to hide her face from Haru. The bird couldn't wait when they would meet Lukas and Hydra again.

* * *

_Omake_

_Me: Wow... I have to say, I think I made Viet-chan very OC in this chapter. I mean, I made her a bookworm and she broke down and then she became awesome again and then went into a side where she admits that she loves Nor-kun._

_Vietnam: I'm only acting this! Got that!_

_Me: I don't think many people will believe that Viet-chan. Anyway, I don't know what's with my mind. I tend to be a mean person when I think of stories and usually someone of my characters will have a depressing kind of life. My other story __Marigolds in Winter__ is a proof of that. I'm also trying to speed things up in this because I don't want this to be too long. So next chapter, expect official fighting with the Seraphim or at least the start of it. On another note, I'm happy romance has taken place in a somewhat indirect way._

_Vietnam: *sighs* Please review, comment, ask questions and the such since Admin likes to read and answer them so much._

_Me: Until next chapter!_


	22. Chapter 22

_Disclaimer: I do not own the anime, characters, maybe settings and a lot of other stuff that may be mentioned._

_Ayumi Kudou: I would love someone to make a doujinshi or I'll TRY to do one myself. Otherwise it would be amazing. I suggest that Japan does it though because he is expert at it. XD_

_Tj99joy: I have a different idea for her battle outfit. I know what you are talking about too but I also don't know what it is called. Once I get the design official and permanent, I will have a link to it on my profile. I will let you guys know. I can't really think of a battle outfit for Norway so I kind of need help on that... I mean, I originally used his ghost pirate costume from 2011 Halloween but it just doesn't match the story... does it? I do my best with the battle scenes but I will admit that I am still an amateur(sp?) at them. My mind sees something awesome but I just don't know how to put it in words. Yeah, it is strange that she is calm about her house being destroyed but remember, she destroyed the other half of her house to escape. There was nothing important in there in the first place so that was okay to do ^^ I don't think we will see them standing side by side for another few chapters due to the development of the story. *laughs evily* If anything, I am planning on doing plot twists just to mess with your guys' minds! maybe._

_Now on with the story~_

* * *

There was a loud knock outside the front door of a large, brick house. The quite steep roof was built to hold the snow that fell from the ice, cold sky where the harsh winds and freezing blizzards create such soft, white substances that float downwards toward the earth.

The knocking had awakened a tired Dane who was in a long sleeved shirt under several covers in his bed. He groaned as the knocking became faster and louder. He now heard shouting outside of his home. "All right already! I'm coming!" yelled Mathias. He got out of bed, uncoordinated and tripped several times before gaining complete balance of his body.

He walked down the staircase and to his double-front doors. He rubbed his arms first, trying to keep warm from the chilly morning but felt it was not helping him at all. He opened the creaking door to reveal several soldiers lined up in front of his house. They were all European but they looked as if they were going to tackle the Dane.

"What's going on guys?" Mathias asked, completely confused.

"You are arrested for treason and for plotting to take down the European nations!" proclaimed a feminine voice. Moving from the side of the house to in front of Mathias' view was Elizabeta, the representative of Hungary and Roderich, the representative of Austria.

"What are you talking about? What's going on here Elizaveta?!" yelled the Dane, outraged and confused.

The Hungarian scoffed at his pleas. Roderich then said,"Do not try to act innocent Mathias. You are Berwald have been plotting to take over Europe for your own selfish wants. We will not allow you to add onto our list of enemies as well as Berwald who should be arrested at his home anytime now. We wouldn't be here if we didn't know you were planning to obtain the orbs to gain power and destroy the world many of us have dreamed of."

"This is crazy! What orbs? What do you mean I want to take over the world? Answer me!" Mathias' blood started to boil. Someone had set him up for this. Who would want him to be accused of something he didn't do? Was it just a random choice to find a person who could be blamed on? And Berwald? He wouldn't want to do any of that take-over-the-world business. He was too reserved to think of such things, despite how tough of a man he is.

Mathias struggled as the soldiers gripped onto his arms and tied them together behind his back.

"It seems that you don't understand Mathias. We have seen you discuss with Berwald about your final plans on getting the orbs to overthrow the European Alliance just last week from our last European meeting in Germany. Does anyone else know about what you are doing Mathias?" asked Elizaveta. Her arms were crossed and one of her hands was holding an iron frying pan.

"I really have no clue what you are talking about. If you want to threaten me to admit, you can because I did not do it, whatever I supposedly did," hissed Mathias.

"Then I guess will just have to bring you to the international prison. We can stop this Mathias if you just admit and cooperate," the Austian said this time.

"I'm telling you, I didn't plot against Europe! Why would I want to destroy my home? This place where we have been massacred by those yellow-skinned bastards (please do not take any offense to what I write. This is just story development. I am asian myself to an extent so I wouldn't have put this on here if I saw another way to create tension.).

"Take him into the tanks! We're moving out!" ordered Elizaveta to the stiff soldiers. Snow was falling gently from the sky. The wind started to move faster and become harsher as it flew past the Hungarian's and Austrian's skin.

* * *

"Eh?! Berwald and Mathias got arrested for plotting to take over Europe? Moi! How is that possible?" panicked Tino to Lukas and Emil who sat in a booth of one of their favorite restaurants whenever the Nordics got together.

Lukas shook his head in disbelief. It seemed that there was more going on than what meets the eye (I had to do it eventually). "I got the news yesterday morning and called the both of you here to discuss what we think is going on. It worries me that someone is setting up the two," Lukas said. He still held a poker face but his eyes glinted with worry and suspicion. Emil nodded quietly and stared at Lukas.

The Icelandic could feel a different aura, a different power, emitting from his older brother. It seemed that he had already obtained the orb the shadow wanted to use to please his master and start the destruction of the many innocent lives living in the area. Emil knew this passion and couldn't help but feel the same way as he wanted power. The set up for Mathias and Berwald worked perfectly but he had missed on obtaining the orb. He would have been able to make it look like Mathias and Berwald were guilty if he had the orb, but at this point it seems improbable.

"Moi... We can't really stand up for them unless we are willing to admit that we were a part of a plan that I don't even know about." It looks like Emil couldn't use Tino in his plans after all.

"No, we can't... Let me talk to Arthur about this. He believes me when I did say that I thought those two were innocent a while back. If anything, I can convince him that they still are," offered Lukas.

"We can try but I doubt Arthur would have enough power to release them himself. The majority of Europe believe that they are guilty of a crime they probably didn't commit. I don't think we should try Arthur," explained Emil. Lukas sighed, seeing his point but also feeling that his little brother was plotting something. He had a feeling that Emil - no, the Seraphim - were behind all this but what would they gain from it?

Lukas kept an eye on Emil to see anything suspicious. His shadow moved, not with his movements but as if it had a will of its own. A waitress came to their booth and set down three drinks. "Please enjoy," the waitress said with a cheery smile. She turned away and headed back to the kitchen to get more drinks or food for the customers.

Tino took a cup and gulped down the fizzing liquid. He must have been stressed because the Finnish man drank three quarters of the mug within a matter of seconds.

"Moi *hic*! This is so stressful moi *hic*!" Emil sighed and walked to Tino. He had the one of the man's arm swung around his neck. Emil placed a hand at Tino's stomache and started to heave the slightly larger man outside of the restaurant. Lukas gave a quick sip of the beer and paid the bill. He followed Emil and helped him put Tino in his car so that they could bring him to his house to sleep.

"He usually lasts a lot loner with the alcohol," commented Emil as he stared at the sleeping figure in the back of the car from the passenger's seat in the front.

"He's just stressed. Leave him be," Lukas said, keeping his eyes on the road. "Looks like we can't really have that brotherly time together."

"Don't say that Lukas!" yelled a red Emil. Lukas gave a low grunt to end what was going to be an argument. His eyes softened, reflecting the sadness he felt. How could he act so normally to his younger brother when he was possessed by his enemy? How could Emil act different yet the same at the same time?

He noticed snow falling and faster and covering the windshield of the car faster than an hour before. "Looks like a storm is about to hit," Lukas said, changing the subject.

"Yeah," simply agreed Emil in a more mellow and cold tone.

Once they were at the house, Emil quickly brought Tino inside. Lukas made sure everything was secure before the storm until he saw a silhouette of a familiar figure.

"Arthur?" he asked as the figure had gotten closer and more visible despite the harsh wind blowing sheets of ice against there rigid and cold faces. "What are you doing here?"

"Wanted to talk to you about yesterday," replied the English man in a blunt and nervous tone.

"Come on in. I can't leave you out there in this kind of weather."

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it."

Tino was laid on the couch and Emil was sitting in an armchair. "Ah, Arthur, what are you doing here?"

"Looks like you have already been discussing about the situation and Tino got drunk on the way. That's bloody stupid to go and get drunk just because you are stressed."

"Says the man who drinks a lot himself and goes crazy as he takes in a lot or even a little bit."

"Shut up Lukas! Anyway, how are you guys feeling overall?"

"Hm... We're worried definitely but we aren't completely stressed," replied Emil.

"You seem way too relaxed about the situation Emil," Lukas said worriedly. He started walking towards his brother but stopped when Emil stood up.

"What can we do Lukas? I told you earlier how it was impossible to get to them, didn't I?" Emil said in a hostile voice. Arthur felt that something was off.

"You never said it was impossible," Lukas briefly replied.

"I didn't? I think I just said it. Heh, maybe they deserve all this punishment. I mean, they always fight and the most irresponsible and untreatable things happens to them. They both do it on accident and on purpose."

"This isn't you Emil. What's going on?" Lukas made a stance, ready to strike or dodge form Emil if he was going to do anyhing.

"Oh, what's going on you say brother dearest? I think what's going on is that you are hiding a secret as much as they are hiding their guilt behind their makeshift personalities and faces. In fact, I think everyone should disappear and allow this world be purified by my master!" The voice that was once Emil's changed to a deeper pitch that was unrecognizable by Lukas or Arthur. The dazzling, violet orbs disappeared and replaced by dull purple eyes.

"What did you do to Emil?!" demanded Lukas once he knew his brother was no longer with them mentally.

A dark and deep laugh comes from the mouth of Emil. "He shall be fine, I may assure you. On the other hand, he won't be fine if you don't cooperate. I'll be taking whatever energy Emil has to strengthen myself and become the ultimate of this world! Watch you and your friends die in flames! The Seraphim will dominate this world and make it truly peaceful!"

"The... Seraphim?" asked Arthur. It couldn't be the enemies of God as said in the legends. The God who created the dragon and the phoenix. He was too deep in thought to notice the dark ball of energy aiming at him.

Lukas tackled Arthur, dodging the attack. Lukas quickly got up and swung his arm, motioning ice shards to hit at Emil. A small explosion occured and Lukas carried Tino out of the house with Arthur following. Lukas quickly placed Tino inside the car and turned the engine on to keep him warm as the storm started to rain down on them with golf ball sizes of hail.

"Arthur! Quick, make a shield!"

"Roger!" The Brit placed his arms in front of him and a magic circled surrounded his feet. Another black orb was shot at them but the magic shield disintegrated it. The force was much stronger than Arthur had thought though.

"Lukasss! Hurry and get out of here!" warned Hydra as she slithered out from his coat pocket.

"We can't just run! We'd either be chased into town and have part of it get destroyed or we fight him off either until we die or he backs off. I doubt I can bring Emil back now." Another ball of dark energy was shot from the side where the shield did not protect, aiming at Lukas. The Norwegian quickly shot water made from the snow at the black orb, causing an explosion of snow and smoke.

Arthur covered his eyes with his arm. What he didn't understand was why Lukas was talking to what looked like a snake. A snake awake in the winter? More importantly, it was a snake he had never seen before and was acting very... human-like. The English man found himself being shoved into the car. Lukas hurried into the driver's seat and started the engine. The machine roared to life and rumbled but the deep snow that surrounded them kept the vehicle from moving.

"Arthur, do you mind getting rid of the snow. I'd like to focus on driving and get away from my lillebror for the first time in my life." Arthur nodded and said another incantation to make a road infront of them.

"Where are we going?" asked Arthur, trying to see through the blinding blizzard.

"Into town. I'm hoping that Emil isn't crazy enough to follow us into town and make havoc just let him be known to the world. If he is, then we'll just drive on the outskirts of town since there won't be any other road. We can't rely on my place to be a safe spot. Luckily I always have a pack of clothes and my sword in the trunk."

"You what?! Why do you bring a lethal weapon around you? It's not like anyone can invade Norway that easily?" commented the Englishman. Lukas shrugged.

"You never know." An explosion hit right next to the moving car, causing the metal contraption to bounce on its right side and almost tilt over to the point where it won't be able to stay upright. Lukas narrowed his eyes and acclerated the car while Arthur tried to clear the road faster. Their pathway was dangerous as it was frozen from the snow and cold weather making it slippery as well as a tiny bit rocky.

"Lukasss, what do you plan to do?" asked Hydra, who Lukas could only hear in his mind.

"Well, I'm hoping to stay at the summer home the five of us stayed in when we were younger and were allowed to go to places for a month by ourselves once we graduated from high school. We can wait there for a day or two and go back into the public and figure out how to deal with the Seraphic and Asia though I'm starting to really dislike our fighting."

"For all we know Lukasss, you little brother isss only a part of our problem. He will become a catalyssst for the war and ssso we mussst focusss on the war more."

"It sounds like a plan..." The blizzard died down and the atmosphere and the surroundings were more visible to the naked eye. Lukas continued driving at a fast speed until he saw a fork in the road where he slowed down and turned to go on the right path which led away from the nearest town.

"What are you doing Lukas? I thought we were going into town!"

"I changed my mind," Lukas replied with his always-there pokerface expression.

"Why is that old chap?" Arthur said, trying to calm down.

"It's safer than risking the lives of many innocent people who could get killed if we entered there."

"Oh... Well, then, now where are we going?"

"Somewhere safe."

"And that would be...?"

"Not in Norway."

"Specifically where are we going?" Arthur asked, even more irritated. The amount of snow in front of them had lessoned but the Englishman's imapatience started to also break the ice layer on the road and being thown by magic, digging its sharp points and edges on trees and rocks.

"I can' say, just in case we are being heard right now," Lukas answered bluntly. Arthur sighed, seeing that there was no hope in making Lukas' mouth spill.

_You might be worried about yourself and the lives of Europe right now, Arthur but I'm worried that Viet might have to go through this experience or she has already had this happen to her._ Lukas continued driving at top speed right at the speed limit against the crashing hail and cold gusts of wind.

* * *

" 'ello Viet! Nice to see you again. It's been a while hasn't it? I'm glad to meet you here in your country now that you have become neutral. Shall we discuss the trading plans?" asked the brown haird Australian man.

Viet nodded but did not smile. She wasn't intimidating either but she saw no need to pull her lips into a curve when she was in a meeting unless it was with someone she knew very well.

"Of course Jake," Viet replied cooly. "It seems that your koala and my falcon are getting along well. Don't you think so?" asked Viet as her attention had turned to the sound of some growling and ruffling feathers. Jake's koala seemed to be glowering at Haru and growled, not liking the bird's presence. Haru on the other hand was quite entertained by the mammal's behaviour and started to mess around with it to pass time.

"Yes they do! Ah, that reminds me mate, have you heard about the arrest of the representatives of Denmark and Sweden?" The Aussie leaned closer to Viet as he sat in an arm chair with and coffee table in between him and Viet. His face was serious and worried.

"What? How did that happen?" Viet asked, shocked.

"Yeah, it was said that the two were planning to get these mystical orb things and use them to take over the world or something like that. I can't say for sure because the news came to me yesterday. Not only that but its also been said that the representative of Iceland has gone berserk and is now missing. They say he was rampaging and destroyed cities with these large dark balls of energy or so I've been given news from Alfred. You know, the representative of the U.S.A?"

What was going on? Could it be that Lukas' younger brother, Emil was controlled by the Seraphim? When Viet had last seen the representatives, Mathias and Berwald never looked like they were on the Seraphim's side. She could tell even though she was pretty much drunk when she officially met them on friendly terms.

"I know Alfred. I met him a few times but that was it." That was more like during battles but it wasn't much trouble to go and see someone who was invading your country for personal gains such as wanting to look like a hero. There was nothing bad about being prideful and confident but Alfred was more egotistical and self-centered most of the time that he became irritating to be around. He tried to stop the fighting between the war at one point but failed as he realized that there was more than one power against him. "What's going on with the world today?" she asked to no one in particular.

"I don't know mate but let's hope that doesn't happen to any of our countries." Viet nodded and soon their conversation led to trading and politics.

After the Aussie left the room with his quite angered koala, Viet slumped into her chair and sighed dramatically. "This is so boring! Ever since I claimed to be neutral in the war, not much has happened ever since... Yao came," Viet said trying to find the right words. "Well, I guess I can't say that now knowing that Lukas' friends are framed for something they didn't do and his little brother is being used by the Seraphim."

"You worry, little one. Shall we contact him to make sure?"

"No, he's probably busy... Even though drastic times have come, everyone is still excited for the next few weeks to come. Religions have been secular for a long time and some of Vietnam's people are catholic thanks to France so they are getting ready for the holidays... That will boring. It will most likely start tomorrow, those weeks of boredom."

"If that is the case, why not take the next few weeks off and we see what is going on in Europe?" Haru suggested only having Viet look confused as she stared at him. Her eyes widened when she knew what he meant.

"Do you think I am even ready to do such things?" she asked, uncertainty in her voice.

"You have been able to transport yourself to different place from one country to another, child. I do not see how you cannot make it to Europe. You have been in France, Monaco and have even see Lukas' room which is enought of a specific area for you to transport too."

Viet blushed as she thought about being in the person she love's bedroom. "Well, if we need to stop the Seraphim and it helps to end it sooner, why not? But first, I have to talk to my boss." She walked out of her office with Haru perched on her shoulder as she made her way through the halls to her boss' room. She knocked on the door. There was no answer.

The Vietnamese woman knocked again, louder this time but still, no answer. "Boss?" she asked as she stepped into her room. She looked to her right first, then left. She then looked straight in front of her only to see the back of her boss' chair facing her. Viet walked over to her boss' desk and turned to the chair around only to gasp.

Blood was gushing out from his shirt and his eyes were dull and his head slumped onto his left shoulder. Viet covered her mouth and stepped back nervously. There were no signs of the man breathing and there was no evidence that led looked as if someone had broken into the office. She took another step back only to bump against an unfamiliar object.

A hand was placed on her shoulder and she jumped away from the hand and turned around. She saw a man with silver hair and red eyes staring at her. Viet's eyes widened even more as she identified the figure as the man her ancestor had fought that night in Athens, Greece. His blood-red eyes stared into her soul and he smirked as he looked over the Asian woman.

"You really are pretty just like your ancestor. Kesesese! I wonder if your strong like her as well," said the albino. At an inhuman speed did the man run up to Viet. She moved to her right but a stinging pain was left on her left arm. Blood began slider down her arm. She looked at the man who was holding a dagger in his left arm. He gave a lick to the dagger and started to dash towards her again.

Viet was ready this time and engulfed herself in a blaze of fire. When the albino tried to slice through the fire, there was no one standing there. He quickly turned around expecting the Vietnamese female to be behind him but she was not there either.

"Kesesese! Did you give up already? That's not awesome for the awesome me." Suddenly, he felt a heavy weight drop on top of him and stabbed him on the side of his abdomen.

The weight shifted off of him. He looked up to see Viet standing and looking down at him. She stared daggers as him. "I'm not one to back away from a fight." The man smirked and he pulled out the knife that was in his side.

"Mein Gott. You sure look beautiful when your angry. Well, until the next awesome time we meet, Viet." A black flame encircled him, and he vanished. Viet's golden orbs narrowed as she stared at the spot where the albino was before he transported who-knows-where.

"He's been watching me, hasn't he?" asked Viet as Haru flew into the room.

"Gilbert has always found a way to do what he wants without him getting noticed despite how loud and irritating he is. He was testing you to see what you are capable of. There are more things going on then we have expected. Let us bury your boss and we shall get going, child." Viet's gaze soon went over to the corpse that sat in the chair. She walked over to him and closed his eyelids. She went to the bathroom and got a wet towel which she used to try to absorb the blood on his shirt and skin.

"Rest in peace..."

* * *

_Omake_

_Me: Did I not say I was going twist the plot? Tell me readers, would you like to see Viet and Lukas together in the next chapter or shall I bring in some more suspense and a wait that shall make some of you impatient and anxious? Anyway, let's welcome Australia-san who debut in the story today!_

_Australia: 'ello mates! Hope you don't mind me starring in today's omake._

_Me: Of course not! We are all quite happy to see you in the story today. I'm trying to find a way where you might even have an important role in a part of the story which also shows Wy-chan and Hutt River!_

_Australia: Oh ho! Those too would be quite happy to be noticed in a story. I'm quite interested for the future chapters then!_

_Me: Good~ Let's see, we have this down... we got that... and this... Um... I'll be random saying that crocodiles are quite scary but when they are plushie or stuff animals, they turn out to be quite adorable. Now Australia-san, let's wrap this up!_

_Australia: Come on mates! Let's review and make some more predictions about what's going to happen in the story!_

_Me: I want to write something else so whoever makes the closeset prediction about what's going to happen in the next chapter will be able to request a one-shot and I shall work on it immediately or when I have the time. So please, review, make a prediction, say something random that doesn't relate or does relate to the story, ask questions, or criticize which I'm happy to recieve and look at to make my story better._


	23. Chapter 23

_Disclaimer: I do not own the anime, characters, maybe settings and a lot of other stuff that may be mentioned._

_Ayumi Kudou:Well, since no one really pays attention to my author notes and omakes, sure, I'll take a request for China and Liech. For an idea... I originally thought that they would be already dating but then some kind of disaster happened and China died but I don't think that would be... appropriate for a romance type thing even though I think of such stories and imaginations in my head for a while now (almost everyday). Ummm... How about... China allowing Liechtenstein to dress him up because it was her birthday and she really wanted to see why people say that he was actually a girls?! I've always seen China as a guy but I have seen people who see him as a girl which is kind of understandable with his somewhat feminine looks and long hair._

* * *

Arthur looked out the window at the snow covered trees and ground. White was every where except for the light blue sky and the shadows and dark green of the evergreen trees. The Brit liked the winter but sometimes he felt it was too plain for his taste. Even the gray and rain of his own country bored him on the most random days.

He closed his eyes and remembered the white, sandy beaches and the deep blue color of the sea. The salty wind blew into his face and he smiled at a tanned girl with long brown hair that were tied into pigtails with big, red ribbons. Her laugh was light and cheerful as she played with the local villagers. She waved to him and called for the teenage, messy blonde-haired English boy to play with them. He remembered saying because he was a gentleman, he would play with her. The girl giggled as he said that.

The Englishman sighed at the memory, seeing how it wasn't going to happen ever again after his country had claimed the land of Seychelles their's after a battle with the French. After that, she started avoiding him and when he became the representative of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, he allowed her to be the representative of Seychelles and freed the country from their rule. Michelle still didn't talked to him but he could feel that she had forgiven him even if it was only a little.

He continued to daydream and look though the window even though he heard a muffled sound. It sounded like a voice and it continued but Arthur continued to ignore it. He finally broke away from his fantasies as a hand grabbed his shoulder and shook him.

"Arthur, are you okay?" asked Lukas. His face showed some concern or so, that was what Arthur believed was Lukas' face of concern even though it looked the same as always."

"Ah, yes, I'm fine Lukas," Arthur replied.

The Norwegian sighed. "You know, you don't have to stay here at our summer home Arthur. Don't you have important things to do back in England?" Arthur stared at Lukas for a few seconds with dazed eyes then shook his head, bringing him back into reality once more.

"Um, I guess. I mean, I just encountered that your brother is possessed by some kind of evil spirit so I'm kind of nervous to go out there."

"And you gloated about how your great great grandfather was once the bravest, fiercest, merciless, pirate of the seven seas," retorted the Norwegian.

"Oh, shut up you git. As you said though, I still have work to do back home and there I will do work and research. Oh, and help me research about this Seraphim why don't you? It'll help us get an idea about what we're up against in the future."

_You have no clue,_thought Lukas.

There was soon, a light knock on the open door to the living room Arthur was sitting in. Tino stuck his head through the open doorway and smiled sadly. "Lunch is ready Lukas and Arthur."

"We're coming," Lukas said and walked toward the Finnish man. Tino sighed, making Lukas stop, wondering what was wrong with the usual trigger-happy-and-happy-go-lucky Tino.

"It seems so empty without Berwald and Matthias here arguing and Emil starting to raise his voice from embarrassment when we tease him, telling him to call us big brother."

"There's not much we can do about it until we find Matthias and Berwald innocent and Emil is no longer possessed," the Norwegian explained.

"Yeah..." Tino disappeared into the hallway. Arthur walked then stopped, next to the Norwegian who was looking at where Tino's head was once sticking out.

"Poor chap. He's gotten really depressed. I'll get a train ticket and start heading back to England tomorrow. I just need a ride over there if you don't mind Lukas."

"Not at all."

Lunch was awkwardly silent as the three men sat at the dining table eating their soup (I have no clue what Europeans in general eat so if you guys can help me out with something, I'd be grateful. That's what I get for being Asian and am writing about a culture that I have no clue about or at least not that much). It wasn't until that they started to clean up did they begin to speak again.

"Should I address the problem that we have at the next meeting?" asked Arthur.

"You might as well. Emil will probably let himself be known to the whole world before we even have a chance to tell anyone," Lukas answered.

"Why not call for an emergency meeting?" Tino suggested.

"We're worried enough by the inactivity of the Asians. Everyone will become more stressed if we call an emergency meeting, Tino," Arthur explained. Tino nodded in understanding while he washed the dishes. Lukas gave a small grunt, indicating that he agreed to what they planned.

The rest of the day was uneventful and dull other than the constant worrying of the continent, family, and friends. Gentle snow started to fall when the sun had begun to set. The warm colors of the sunset finally brought color to the Lukas boring day even though many clouds covered the sky. He stood in front of the house and stared at the bright star sinking into the horizon.

He softly narrowed his eyes as he gazed at the different colors. He heard nothing and felt nothing. It was as if time stood still. The snow still drifted to the ground but Lukas payed no attention to them. He could only remember his childhood when he was with his biological parents and the infant Emil. He was sitting on the lap of his mother who was sitting on the edge of a quite stable cliff next to his father who was holding a bundled up baby.

Emil was squirming in his blankets as he tried to angle himself to look at a beautiful sunset in front of the family. The siblings parents couldn't help but laugh at Emil's determined face to move his little body. Lukas also smiled at his younger sibling.

"There, there Emil. Storebror will help you see the sunset," said the smaller version of Lukas. He got off his mother's lap and stumbled his way over to the baby Emil. He wrapped his arms around the bundle of blankets and tried to lift him. His father chuckled.

"Let me help you Lukas," his father offered. Lukas' father gently wrapped his large hands around Emil and took off the blankets then placed him on his lap, sitting upright. Emil smiled and laughed an adorable laugh only a baby could do. He clapped his hands and kicked his legs in excitement. Lukas saw his father kept his hands at Emil's side to support the still fragile child.

"Emil is very happy, isn't he Lukas?" the siblings' mother asked.

"He is very happy, Mommy!" Lukas ran back to his mother and sat on her lap once more. They sat there telling jokes, laughing, and talking until the sun disappeared and the sky was dark but with small twinkling lights over their heads.

The flashback ended and Lukas realized that night took over the world for the sky was black. There were no small twinkling lights above him. There were only clouds and a blackness that disgusted him.

"Are you okay Lukasss?" a snake-like voice asked.

"I'm fine Hydra. Have you been anywhere out of the attic at all today?" Lukas asked, using telepathy.

"Other than to go to the bathroom? No, I haven't. I've jussst been keeping watch and chasssing mice and ssstaying comfy in thisss room. You ssshould try it Lukasss, it'sss relaxing."

"It's a bit difficult for me to do that Hydra, with the things going on."

"I know but taking a break once in a while doesssn't hurt. Actually, it might improve your mood."

Lukas sighed but soon shivered from the cold. He turned away from the horizon he was staring at and walked back into the house. The sudden temperature change when the Norwegian stepped into the house made him shivered but soon comforted him as it warmed his cold and stiffened body.

"Ah, Lukas are you cold? Should I make some hot chocolate?" Tino asked as he appeared from the hallway to Lukas' right.

"Yes, please," Lukas briefly answered. He followed Tino into the kitchen where he prepared hot water in a kettle and took out a mug and a medium sized pouch filled with hot chocolate powder. Lukas sat down on a wooden chair that went along with a small light-colored wooden table in the middle of the room. The room was silent for several minutes with Tino staring at the mug and Lukas rubbed his hands, trying to keep them warm. The sound of the kettle whistling throughout the room disturbed the silence.

"What the bloody hell is that?! Turn it off!" complained Arthur's muffled voice from upstairs. Apparently, he was sleeping.

Tino chuckled and turned off the stove. He then added the boiling water to the mug and added a stirring stick into it. The Finnish man then carried the mug to Lukas who took the mug and started to stir the drink with the stirring rod.

"Arthur's leaving tomorrow right?"

"Yeah. He'll probably wants to go early so I'll have to wake up early." Lukas took a sip of his hot chocolate. Once the warm liquid hit his tounge, he closed his eyes, savoring the bittersweet flavor.

When he opened his eyes again, he saw Tino twiddling his thumbs and shifting in his chair nervously. His violet orbs darted from one place to another in his eye sockets. He bit his bottom lip as if wanting to say something but unsure if he wanted to say it.

Lukas placed the mug of hot chocolate down on the table and stared at Tino. His stare immediately gave the Finnish man the chills which he must have created a six sense for since Berwald was always staring at him. No one understood why the Swede stared at him though.

"Is something wrong, Tino?" Lukas finally asked once Tino started to no longer fidget as much as before. Tino's eyes looked up and down rapidly unsure if he wanted to answer. He took in a deep breath then let it out though his small mouth.

"I've been wanting to talk to you Lukas about Emil... It was before we found you in Egypt. To be more specific, it was a few days after the end of the battle at Seoul and we were on our way to Egypt. I was in my room and then Emil came in checking if I was okay. Moi! Something was wrong was him, I could tell!" Tino slammed his hands on the table and his face seemed surprised and urgent. He calmed down and then began talking again. "Um, anyway, he then told me the legend of the phoenix and the dragon and how they had orbs which could give us the power to destroy or do a lot of things I guess you could say. He said that he wanted to use it to save you from the Asians since he believed that you didn't die and he wanted me to help him. The way he said it though... I don't think he really wanted to save you... He sounded like a different person, as if his soul wasn't there at all. The next thing he said was that he wanted to take over the world!"

Lukas almost choked on the last part with his hot chocolate. "Ah, are you okay Lukas?!" Tino asked, starting to panic. Lukas hit his chest with his fist then swallowed the rest of his drink. He nodded and let out a sigh of relief indicating that he was alive.

"He said he was joking and left but I felt that he wasn't joking. Could this mean that he was possessed since then? Maybe even before? What are the orbs really Lukas? You've studied about magic and magical items or things like that right Lukas?"

"Calm down Tino. I can't answer all of those question when you don't give me time and its being said to quickly for me to even remember them."

"Sorry."

"It's fine but stay calm. There is a probability that he has been possessed even before you noticed all that -"

"I also remember that when he entered the room, it became cold and when he left, the atmosphere became warm again."

"Thanks for the info..." Lukas sighed. "Anyway, I can't say much about the orbs. They are still a mystery to me despite the amount of... research I have done about them. They are really ancient items that are not very well documented so it's difficult to understand how they work. I've got a lot of history down but its real purpose, as I said, is a mystery."

Tino gave a look of disappoint. "I understand... Honestly, Lukas, I'm scared to go back home. Who knows when I'm going to get ambushed and then killed. By the looks of it, I don't think a sniper could even scratch Emil."

"What are you suggesting?" Lukas' eyes narrowed since he knew Tino well enough that he would beat around the bush to get to his point or to get ask what he wanted.

"Can I stay with you until I feel more comfortable with the situation? I'm still jittery about Emil being possessed which adds to my list of troubles. One of the things on that list is being invaded by Asia since I'm next to Russia. My other troubles include economic problems and Berwald's and Matthias' situation."

"I'll give you a week and then you move back. Got that?"

"Thanks, Lukas." Tino sighed in relief.

The next morning was complicated for Lukas. Arthur woke him up at 4 in the morning to drive him to the train station. On the way, Arthur explained that he was going to stop in Romania to tell Vasilica about the situation and be aware. Lukas wasn't listening much though because he was woken too early in the morning and he was cranky and irritated.

Lukas dropped Arthur off with his stuff, quickly said bye and went back home, impatient and tired. A nice black coffee was waiting for him or so, that was what Lukas kept telling himself as other automobiles were speeding past him and almost killing him several times.

The Norwegian safely made it back to the summer home where Tino made black coffee and danishes. Somehow, he was able to get his dog, Hanatamago, from the dogsitter so the white puppy energetically ran around the home as Lukas ate and drank his breakfast. The two men quickly packed their belongings and headed back to Norway's home.

Tino even managed to get his work from his home so that he could do it while staying at Lukas' place. Hydra hid in Lukas secret coat pocket that was hidden inside his jacket. Hanatamago often sniffed his jacket curiously, sensing another living creature in the metal convertable but Tino would pull the dog away saying that she was a bad girl.

The trip took only two days to travel unless the car seriously borke down or you got severely injured. The trip was uneventful seriously speaking. Otherwise, Tino and Hanatamago kept on staring and complimenting about the Christmas decorations being set up. With telepathy, Hydra couldn't help but comment how Tino was like a child but Lukas warned that he was really scary and lethal when he had a sniper and was angry or was in a battle.

It was dark when Lukas arrived at his house. The sky was clear but the city lights not to far away from his home made it harder to see any stars in the sky. Lukas sighed and then he gently shook Tino who was sleeping with Hanatamago also sleeping on his lap.

"Wake up Tino. We're here." The Fin lazily opened his eyes and blinked several times, trying to get into reality. He groaned and held Hanatamago as he got out of the car. Lukas already had his belongings and he headed towards his house first while Tino was getting his suitcase.

Hydra and Lukas checked the area reading the auras but there was no one around the house. The building didn't look damaged either and there were no signs of traps.

He unlocked the door and entered the home. The hallways were dark but Lukas didn't want to turn the lights on due to laziness plus the sudden change from dark to light was going to blind his eyes. He walked deeper into the hallway but suddenly stopped when he felt three auras within his house that wasn't suppose to be there. He ran to the living room where the three auras were and he switched the lights on.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?!"

"Ah! Don't hurt the beautiful moi!" pleaded the French accented voice. Lukas was confused and shock to see the representative of France in his house. Why was he there and how did he get in here?

Running footsteps were heard from outside the room. Tino came running in with his luggage and Hanatamago behind him. "I heard you yelling Lukas! What's wrong?" Tino stopped panicking once he saw Francis in the room. "Francis moi? What are you doing here?"

Suddenly the Frenchman was on his knees and begging for his life to be saved. "She forced me to not tell anyone about her appearance here and then she wanted me to come here! I didn't comply at first but then she grabbed my collar and almost choked me. The next thing I know was that flames engulfed us and then I found myself hanging over a cliff in Vietnam! She threatened me that if I didn't help her, I would die right then and there and so I agreed to help her. She had a spear and so I was forced to drive here and she smuggled the both of us into the house and her hawk pet has been there staring at me making sure I stayed! Save moi from her!"

"She?" asked Tino. "And why a cliff in Vietnam?" Lukas on the otherhand knew who Francis was talking about despite how fast the Frenchman talked. Lukas walked toward the falcon that was perched on his coat hanger.

"It's been a while Haru. How are you and Viet doing?"

"We are doing fine child. As of Viet, I would look on the couch," answered the raptor. Lukas turned his head to see a sleeping woman with untied, long, black hair and a sweater over European looking clothes. He walked over to her and poked the Asian woman's face.

"There's no point in hiding anything from these two any more since you exposed yourselves. You should come out two Hydra." Lukas said as he continued to stare at Viet's peaceful and sleeping face that seemed undisturbed by his poking. The sudden movement under Lukas' jacket made Hanatamago excited and barked.

A teal colored snake appeared and France and Tino screamed as Hydra hissed and stared at them as if she were about to strike.

"Hydra, don't scare them," Haru warned. He seemed ready to launch himself at the snake.

"I'm just having sssome fun, Haru. Loosssen up." Francis' and Tino's faces were in shocked as they thought they heard the animals spoke.

"It can't be! Non! They can't be talking!" cried the Frenchman. He then screamed as a knife was thrown near his head.

"Shut up Francis! I was sleeping quite nicely until you started yelling!" Viet was awake but it seemed that her attention was on Francis. It wasn't until a moment later that she noticed Tino was standing next to Francis, shaking. She then turned her head to her right to see Lukas with his face centimeters from hers and staring at her intently. She gave a small squeak of surprise as she saw Lukas next to her.

Francis couldn't help but notice this timid side to Viet and automatically began teasing her. "Ohonhonhon. It seems that mon cher also has a cute side too, non?" Viet gave him a glare which immediately silenced him.

"It'sss telepathy," Hydra finally said to correct what almost everyone assumes that they are talking. Hanatamago was quite pleased to see the two animals and started to cuddle with them making Hydra quite irritated and Haru amused by the puppy's behaviour.

"Moi! Wait, Lukas, I'm confused! I thought she was your nemesis! Why are you two acting so friendly with each other?" Tino did have a confused look on his face and was panicked by having an Asian in the house.

"Did I not say that we were going to reveal our secret or something along those lines?" Lukas faced the two confused Europeans and slightly turned his head. Rings of water appeared which hit Tino and Francis onto the armchairs into the living room. They then formed into ice as they locked their wrists and ankles to their seats so that they could not move.

"You don't have to be so hostile," commented Viet as she saw Francis and Tino squirming into their seats.

"We can't risk anything, especially not with Tino."

"Wait, so does that mean that moi is not a threat?" complaned the Frenchman. Lukas and Viet ignored his question. Viet straightened herself up to sit upright on the couch and Lukas sat quite close to her making her blush a little.

Lukas eyed Viet's hair and clothing. She looked beautiful in the sweater and simple green dress with brown boots. She must have gotten them while she was with France.

"So I'm guessing the orb became a part of you too?" asked Lukas. Viet nodded her head. Tino was shocked when he heard the word orb. Lukas slightly blushed as he wrapped his arm around Viet and held her close to him. "You also look pretty," Lukas muttered. Viet could hear him though and her face became tomato red.

"Th-thanks." Francis couldn't help but stare at the intimate signs of love between the two.

"So does that mean the both of you are dating? Ohonhonhon! So Viet isn't as dense as I thought she was, but... Why is Lukas in love with her and why does she love him? Well the both of you are beautiful and handsome so if you want to make out in here in front of me I'm fine with it."

Viet glared at the Frenchman but couldn't get rid of the blush because she knew her feelings for Lukas but she wondered if he really did feel the same way. Lukas also glared at the bearded man and his face gave a small blush.

"This isn't a time to be lovey dovey over each other right now though I do want to know how this happened!" yelled Tino. Lukas quickly took his hand off of Viet and placed it in his lap. Viet was quite disappointed but she was pleased that he liked how she looked and that he was this close to her. She still wondered if that was what Lukas thought of her and the Norwegian wondered if that was what she really thought of him. He also wondered if that was what he really felt for her.

Francis could read the silent faces and wondered how dense these people could be. Look at their movements and body language! Isn't it obvious?

"Well, I guess we should start explaining." Lukas' face then became serious as he started to explain his real encounter with Viet.

* * *

_Omake_

_Me: I'm so sorry for being two weeks late! It's Christmas break so I was doing stuff that kept me busy from writing. Yes, and I'm writing about Christmas even though it's after Christmas but oh well. So yeah, I made my characters OOC and dense. Might not be a good thing but whatever. It'll just be me today for the Omake so yeah... Who likes Pokemon and who played Platinum? If you played what level (general area) was your pokemon? I think I'm pretty good other than the fact that I'm usually one pokemon away from defeating Cynthia... I know this has nothig to do with Hetalia but I do need help. That or I train more but that's kind of hard to do when you have only one place that contains lv 50 pokemon and lower and some of your pokemon aren't meant to fight water type pokemon._

_Ooh, and who's excited for the new Hetalia series coming out next year? Hetalia: Beautiful World... I saw the preview for it and its more like Himaruya-sensei's style of drawing. Honestly, I thought that the older seasons were kind of derpy with the way there were drawn. Not only that but France's hair was so smooth and soft looking and the trailer was all shiny and they are going to have Gakuen Hetalia! Romania even appeared in the trailer and I think the new ending song was being played too. I can't wait for the other countries' versions to the song! I really like how America looks too. I also know the official website for the new season too~ It's not much yet but it will develop. If you want the link to the trailer and/or the official website, PM me or just ask and I'll post it on my profile or something like that._

_Please review, criticize, predict, ask, or anything that you have a comment on. I'd really appreciate it to have some feedback. _


	24. Chapter 24

_Disclaimer: I do not own the anime, characters, maybe settings and a lot of other stuff that may be mentioned._

_Ayumi Kudou: Hopefully they do have their skin tones right. Fuu, It's coming out in a few more weeks! I can't wait. Don't worry, I will keep China manly or as manly I can imagine him to be. I've honestly kind of seen him having an old man personality who thinks to high of himself and not taking care of himself because he always believe that he was young at heart. Well, that aside I shall try to do my best with this one shot. I'm on the edge of having writer's block so hope that I won't hit it otherwise that story won't come out soon._

* * *

The atmosphere as Tino stared at Lukas and Viet. How could they team up with each other? She was Asian and he was European. Tino didn't want to listen to their story nor did he want to see their faces. Lukas lied to his face...no... He lied to everyone. Whether it be friends or acquaintances, he lied. Did he want Europe to go down in flames?

Tears began streaming down Tino's face before Lukas could say anything. The Norwegian was silent, understanding the hurt it must feel that he was starting to go against Europe. It wasn't betrayal but they were all raised with the beiefs that Asians were their enemy and they grew with a strong and passionate feeling about this.

"We woke up in Seychelles in the same room as each other. We had hate in our hearts then but the representative of Seychelles is my friend as Lukas didn't want another enemy on Europe's hands and so we didn't attack each other until after the first attack from the Seraphim. At first I thought I was fighting for my country, my continent so that I could continue living and leading my country for this war that has gone on for 200 years. Now I realize, I fought to understand myself and the truth about this war. Haru and Hydra permanently became a part of our lives then and they showed us the truth. Our ancestors fought to stop the Seraphim who were the sparks that set off the flames of the war. They led us to believe that the other country contained a black magic that could destroy each other. My boss knew that I was a descendant of that very ancestor who was the guardian of the Fire Bird and so knew the importance of allowing Vietnam to become a neutral country from the war. Now he is dead because of the Seraphim because he want to help save the world we all care about... I don't want to lose anyone else anymore."

Viet's fists were clenched and her face was looking down, allowing her bangs to cover her crying face. She was afraid. She was afraid to lose her family and her friends. Vietnam was a small country and everyone there would sacrifice to protect their country. All of them were dear people to her and to lose them would mean her broken heart. She couldn't risk it. She wouldn't risk it. Tino was shocked by this story. He could see the sincerety, the pain, the determination in the Vietnamese woman's golden eyes. He shook his head, convincing himself that she was tricking him.

"I fight for neither Europe nor Asia. I fight for myself and my people. I fight to protect the ones I love." Her face was still hidden by her bangs but her voice was loud and determined. Francis knew this woman's heart even if its been years. His eyes soften as he saw the grown up little girl he once raised.

Tears began to waterfall from the Frenchman's eyes. "Mon cher has grown up so much. For moi, I trust you with all my heart, mon cher! I've known you for all of your childhood and you were always truthful about what was on your mind. I will support you secretly mon cher!"

"Francis what are you saying, Mo-i?!" Tino couldn't believe his ears. Did Francis really believe this story? The Frenchman sniffed and breathed in and out, trying to regain composure.

"You see Tino, a long time ago, France had invaded Vietnam and we took over the country. Mon cher was suppose to be the next representative of the country when she grew older but because we took over, she was to be taken care of by me and in a sense to be my slave. I couldn't do that though with her. Mon cher was so strong willed and every time I tried to tell her to get some wine for me, she would slap me with her wooden paddle. I've tried confiscating that paddle bu she seemed to always find it or get it back..."

"That's because you were just a kid back then! You weren't allowed to drink and if I didn't prevent you from doing so, I'd get beaten by your father!" Viet yelled.

"Anyway," Francis said, ignoring Viet, "what I'm trying to say is that she is responsible and she would do whatever she thought was right. She never lied about what she thought about us and how she felt. Even if she was sick, she would still work as if it was a duty."

"I didn't hate you as much towards the end of my stay... You were such an idiot and Monica and Michelle always worried me so I couldn't just abandon them or at least, not at will." Francis smiled sadly at her comment. It was like his bittersweet memories with the one who had really affected his heart even though he was really small at that time.

Francis shook his head to erase that thought and continued on trying to convince Tino. "Even though its been years, I can tell if Mon cher is telling a lie or not. She's not built to tell lies unless it was a part of a plan or to protect the ones she loves. Her heart when she explained her story was sincere."

"Then what about the orbs?" asked Tino.

"They are a part of our bodies," Lukas said quite bluntly. Tino stared at him with eyes of confusion and disbelief. "It's more like we had to go on a short trip that could have killed us while getting the orbs in different places in the world and then we had to prove ourselves to make sure that we were devoted to have our power permanently a part of the orbs'. For our powers to combine, the orbs had to be in our bodies for it to become one with us." Viet couldn't help but notice the last part of the sentence that reminded her of a certain Russian. It made her shiver despite how at one point, they were close in military and political relationship.

Tino was silent for a moment until he sighed. "I can't help but believe you because these ice ring-things that are keeping my wrists tied down to the chair is as if its metal. I can't break them at all."

"So you were in trigger-happy mode?" asked Lukas.

"Don't call it that Lukas."

"Ah, here's my hair tie. I can't believe that I didn't notice it around my wrist," the Vietnamese woman commented as she looked at her wrist. The three men in the room stared at her and taking note that Viet could be unintentionally random. She noticed their stares and started to feel uncomfortable. "What?" she finally asked as they continued to stare.

"You can be random sometimes," the Norwegian commented.

"Thanks for being honest," Viet said sarcastically.

The two soon proceded into an argument about Lukas' personality. They acted like a married couple or so that was what Tino thought. Francis was probably thinking of more inappropriate thoughts about the situation. Tino knew this because of the strange smile forming on his face. It was creepy actually, not just strange. Suddenly, the Finnish man noticed that there was nothing pressuring his wrists or ankles anymore. He looked at his once-bounded wrists to see that they were free from the ice and his skin had red marks forming rings where the ice once held him down.

"They are like a married couple, are they not?" asked Haru who flew towards Tino and landed on the arm of his chair.

Tino nodded his head. He still couldn't take in the fact that a bird with deadly talons and sharp beak was talking to him. Hanatamago started barking in excitement as she tried to chase Hydra who was slithering all across the room. She hissed in amusement as she expertly dodged the white-furred dog who was playfully trying to catch her. Tino then saw Francis stood up, also no longer bound to the chair.

He seemed to try to make himself unnoticed as he walked to the still arguing couple. He suddenly hugged only to cause movement to stop in the room and a scary atmosphere formed.

"Let's sleep together tonight and bond our relationships! Oui?" claimed the Frenchman. Lukas felt uncomfortable and angry at the Frenchman but he didn't know what to do since the hug made him close to Viet's face. Viet on the other hand had an aura around her hat seemed like it could kill anyone. If looks could kill, Francis would be ashes right now. When there was no answer from the two who were being hugged out of will, Francis looked down and realized what he gotten himself into.

"Now, now mon cher. There's no need for violence right?" Francis let go of the two and started to back away, his hands in front of him hoping that it would stop the following punishment.

Viet walked towards him slowly but her steps were loud as she made her way towards him. Francis' back hit the wall and he began to panic. He then attempted to run but his collar was caught by a hand. His face was dripping with sweat and his face was frightened.

"First, we're going to erase your memory," Viet said. She stared into his eyes immediately and Francis became dazed. A spark of light shone in her eyes and were reflected off of Francis irises. Now, Viet turned his body so that his body would face her. She grabbed the frong of his shirt and then lifted him off the floor. "Now die you pervert!" She threw him at the ground and flames engulfed him. He disappeared.

"Moi (I realized that the pronunciation of Finland's 'moi' and France's 'moi' are different but are spelled the same. Finland's 'moi' is like the first syllable 'mo' is like 'more' and the 'i' in the 'moi' is like 'cheese'. Keep that in mind for those who are used to Finland's 'moi' and the French word me, 'moi'.)! Don't tell me you actually killed him?"

"I didn't. I just erased his memory and sent him back to his home. He won't remember this nor will I allow him to do any sexual harrassment." If sweatdrops could happen in real life, Tino and Lukas would have them right now.

"W-well, are you going to erase my memory?" Tino asked nervously. Viet shook her head.

"No, I trust you. You might be devoted to Europe but I know a trustworthy person when I see one. Anyway, I hope you don't mind Lukas but I'll be spending my time here for a while. I'm looking for Gilbert who killed my boss. You know, that albino guy that we saw in the flashback that Haru and Hydra showed us and attacked my ancestor."

"That's where I remembered him from. I met him once after I defeated one of the Seraphim's beast once I got the orb."

"I see..."

"If anything, we ssshould eat. I'm hungry," Hydra said. She was now on Lukas shoulder, out of Hanatamago's reach. Haru flew onto Viet's shoulder and shook his feathers.

"Let us go then, child." Viet nodded and walked out of the hallway.

"Lukas?" Tino said.

"Yes?"

"Does she even know where the kitchen is?"

"..."

"..."

"Let's just go to the kitchen," Lukas said. He walked out of the hallway and to the right, followed by Tino. When he entered the kitchen his eyes slightly widened when he saw Viet at the kitchen counter standing awkwardly.

"What took you guys so long? I feel awkward waiting in someone else's kitchen for that person's arrival." Viet stared at them with disapproving eyes.

"Sorry. How did you know where the kitchen was?" asked Lukas. Viet blushed before she answered.

"I looked around the house when I first got here and dragged Francis everywhere with me to keep an eye on him. I needed to know my way around so I looked around your house."

"Where did you end up in the house?"

"In your room. I-it's because that was the only part of the house that I knew since we talked that one time through our mirrors. If I don't know the location of a place, I can't get there!" Her face was all red and she waved her hands in front of her face.

"Why are you acting embarrassed?" Lukas asked.

"I didn't want to seem like I was a wierdo for kind of breaking into your house or anything like that."

"Why did you bring Francis along if you could come here?"

"I wanted to see Europe with my own eyes so I made him drive me over here and I wanted to attempt going into your house without using my powers. I felt it was going to be a waste but once I learned that I couldn't break in without breaking anything, that's when I used the magic to take us inside."

"You're really cute when you are shy!" commented Tino.

"Help me make dinner," Lukas said changing subjects.

"Dạ," Viet agreed in Vietnamese. She tied her hair into a high ponytail. Once she found an apron she attempted to put it on but dropped it when she heard a scream.

"You, you're Phuong!"

"That's right. I had to hide my identity while I was with Lukas, Michelle, and Monica when we went to Egypt. And then I met the rest of the Nordic representatives and I got drunk and Lukas carried me back to my room."

Tino didn't know what to say to that because she was quite calm about it. He then noticed that Viet was glimpsing at Lukas while he was working. Her cheeks were slightly blushing as she looked at him.

Once all the food were in the process of cooking, Tino walked over to Viet. "Can I talk to you along for a bit?" asked the Finnish man. Viet nodded and followed Tino out of the room.

"What is it?" Viet asked once they were out of sight.

"Do you like Lukas?" Viet turned bright pink and her face expressed shock.

"Am I that obvious?" She hit the palm of her hand against her forehead.

"Yeah... You both are actually. Lukas may have a stoic expression but you know when he acts odd... I guess I don't have anything against you really. It's just hard to take all of this in."

"I definitely know how you feel."

"Are you going to tell him how you feel?" asked Tino.

"Not yet..."

"Why?" Viet moved her eyes to look at the entrance of the kitchen where Lukas still was.

"Because... I'm afraid that our love might get in the way of something crucial for saving everyone. I don't want to become to attach and then feel that he is more important than the world. I probably wouldn't think like that but I can't help but feel scared. It's also my first time falling in love with someone..." Tino smiled softly at Viet. She was honest and caring and has a strong will. He started to see why Lukas liked her but he doesn't understand why she fell in love with the Norwegian. He's shy around strangers and doesn't have that much emotion on his face making people see him as cold. Well, as long as Lukas finally falls in love and the such, it should be okay. He has a pretty good judgement on other people.

The sound of beeping was heard from the kitchen as well as the rattling of metal racks and pans.

"Food is done!" Lukas said loudly. Tino started walking back to the kitchen but stopped outside the entrance to the room He turned his head towards Viet and gave a cheerful smile.

"Take good care of Lukas for me and the rest of the Nordic region." Viet blushed but nodded her head. Tino walked inside the kitchen and started to help take the food out to the dining table.

Viet felt a fast beating in her heart as she saw the two in the kitchen. It seemed like a warm place to be where family can work together to help make dinner. It reminded her of her own family. She then wondered what it would be like if Matthias, Berwald and Emil were also there to help prepare dinner. She giggled at the thought.

"Are you just going to stand there or are you going to have dinner with us?" the Norwegian asked.

"I'm coming, I'm coming."

* * *

_Omake_

_Me: I feel as if this was one of the most unplanned/unorthodox/random chapter I have ever written. I have to admit that I liked it when I made Viet say "Go die you pervert!" to France as she transported him back to his house. _

_On another note, if you don't erase memories often, then it will take a lot of energy to regain again to erase another memory. You'd could only do it like, once a month but if you practice on energy conserving and memory erasing, you can use less energy and can erase more memories within a short amoung of time._

_Italy: Vee~ That sounds really complicated. Why don't we calm our minds with pasta?_

_Romano: I'd like to go and eat tomatoes right now._

_Me: You can eat whatever you like to eat but honestly, I don't like to eat tomatoes raw. Cherry tomatoes are the only exception or if the tomatoes are sliced and are in a salad or something._

_Italy: We can drink wine too!_

_Me: I'm underage._

_Italy: Vee?! It's not fun though if it's only me and Romano nii-chan._

_Me: Still not persuaded. Anyway, let's wrap this up!_

_Italy and Romano: Please support Admin by reviewing, ask questions, comment, criticize, etc.~_

_Me: Next chapter preview- Yao makes his move and so does Emil. Disasters are occuring all over Europe and Asia. What will our protagonists for next chapter do (that being the Eastern Asian family)?_


	25. Chapter 25

_Disclaimer: I do not own this anime whatsoever._

_Ayumi Kudou: Request done! I think you'll like it. I'm not sure if my humor is the best but I tried. Also what part of the last chapter was like a Pocahontas scene? I can't see it at all. Well, I haven't seen the movie in years so I guess that's why but I'm still confused._

* * *

"Ne ne. Have you guys noticed that Teacher has been acting wierd?" Mei asked worriedly as she saw Yao staring at the pond in front of him. Hyung Soo and Yong Soo nodded in agreement, concern also plastered on their face.

"Ever since Noona left, aniki has been a lot more quiet and strict da ze," commented the childish of the Korean twins.

"He's been thinking a lot but I doubt its about making up with Noona. The time he went to talk to her a few weeks ago only ended up with him coming home angry," Hyung Soo added.

"Not only that but did you guys here what happened in Vietnam? Jie jie's boss was murdered and then Jie jie just disappeared right after he died. It's as if life is turning upside down for Jie jie and Teacher!"

"Hmm... If we know Noona, she's probably in the most unlikely places thinking her life over and over again. After doing that, she'll most likely come up with a decision that is too normal or very eccentric." Mei giggled at the thought.

"Just thinking about it makes me laugh," the Taiwanese girl said. Yong Soo gave a wide grin and Hyung Soo also smiled after seeing the girl laugh after several weeks of concern and depression. Her smile soon turned into a small frown as she thought of how she missed the old days where they could just laugh and play.

From a distance they did not notice a shadow in a shape that was not physically there. No one noticed that it was watching the three people who were watching Yao. The shadow slithered back to the Chinese man after his observation.

"It seems that they believe that you are acting strange."

"Let them be. They are only worried at this point. If their thoughts go any further I will deal with them aru."

"As you wish but do be aware Yao. One wrong move and they can turn against you completely." The Chinese man was silent, not wanting to make a come back at the statement mainly because he knew it was true. Second was that people were watching him so he couldn't act as he pleased. He was disappointed really. Viet changed her beliefs so immediately as if what she had learned before was just trash. Simpler garbage that did not have any purpose to their lives was a better way to explain it. That was how she acted. Viet would pay dearly.

"We have arrangements to maker aru. Let's go." Yao stood up, startling Mei, Yong Soo, and Hyung Soo. He walked into the building and was out of sight.

"His eyes were cold. They aren't as lively as they once were," Mei noticed. She shivered seeing how she had never seen this part to Yao before.

"We can only watch from afar da ze. I even know when we have to keep our distance from aniki da ze."

Hyung Soo could only wonder what might have happened to Yao. As Yong Soo said, they could only wait.

* * *

**Iceland**

"Arthur is holding another meeting. Heh, is he thinking clearly? To even send it to me is quite idiotic."

"It could be that he is planning a trap."

"With what? His magic? He doesn't have the power to stop me."

"But your brother does."

"Do not speak about him to my face!"

...

Emil was breathing heavily in anger. The letter in his hand that informed him of the European meeting was crumpled. His face was red and the shadow could only guess why he was acting the way he was. After several minutes of his head cooling down, Emil slouched back into his armchair as he stared at the crumpled up paper in his hand.

"I'm jealous. Lukas says he wants to spend time with me but his eyes are on someone else. That Asian woman. Ever since we met in Egypt... Lukas wasn't interested in the Seychellois girl but in the Asian one. His eyes always sparkled and showed concern for her. His attention, his mind was always on her. I want her gone from this world. That way I can have Lukas to myself."

"It is possible to do what you are thinking. I propose a plan." Emil looked at the shadow next to him. His eyes interested in what the plan would be.

"Shall we take your brother hostage, the Guardian of the Fire Bird will definitely go to his rescue. The only way for her to be ridden from this world is for her to kill herself for your brother's sake. We can also cast a spell where he is under your control."

"Is it possible to do that? To him? To make him forget about her and to only look at me, his dear little brother?"

The shadow chuckled at the naive boy. "It is and it is to break his heart. That is when he is the weakest and we will be able to take him over."

Emil was silent, thinking the idea over. It was a possibility but would he really break if she had died. "We are going to have to do some psycological play if we want to get this done. To engrave in his mind that she will get hurt and will keep on getting hurt. One step at a time he will break and his heart will be in millions of pieces, impossible to put back together."

"You are very possessive Emil."

"Only because I know the pain Lukas went through. No one else can understand his pain like me."

"So, how shall we start this plan?"

"By starting to change the world."

* * *

**International Prison of Germany**

"Someone's setting us up. We didn't do anything but fake evidence was put in for us to be here. I don't even know what kind of crime we committed! They keep on saying that we wanted to get these orbs so that we could take over the world! I really don't understand," exclaimed Matthias. His face was in his hands as he tried to make sense of the events from the past few weeks.

"I understand that you are frustrated but we have to keep a cool head. If we don't, we might not be able to get out of here alive. Lukas, Tino, and Emil should be okay but they might be worried a lot," Berwald said.

"We can't really do anything about it. They watch us a bit too closely now that I think about it. Something's definitely wrong. The Swede nodded his head in agreement but the latter didn't see nor did he really cared for it at this point in time. What he wanted was to get out of that cell and demand an explanation why he was in there because he knows that he was innocent. He isn't an idiot for lying about something that big- whatever that big thing was that kept him and Berwald in a cell.

It was midnight or somewhere around there. That was all the two blondes could tell. They lost all sense of time or at least how long they had bee i the cell after constant worrying. There was a box-shaped hole very high in the wall, kept closed with steel bars but which led to the outside world. From that little hole, Matthias and Berwald could tell around what time it was or the general area of time. Having been trained since they were little, they could give a pretty accurate estimate about what time it was saying that they had nature to help them prove it.

_CLICK! CLACK! CLICK! CLACK!_

Matthias lifted his head up to the unfamiliar noise of metal tapping or hitting into something else solid and hard. No, it was from the cold, cobblestone floor. Someone was walking their way. The sound of footsteps were clearer but it was nothing like the boots he usually heard in the cellars from the past few weeks.

"Did you hear that?" asked Berwald. His voice was laced with concern and wariness.

"Yeah." The two stared out of the cell, ready for what was to come... or as ready as they could ever be with their bare hands.

"Catch her!" The two were surprised when they heard the yelling. It was farther away than the footsteps that were now rushing towards them. In several seconds, a silhouette appeared in front of them, the figure facing their barred cell. In the figure's left hand was a spear that glinted in the moonlight from the hole high above their heads.

"What are you doing here?" asked Matthias automatically as he felt threatened.

"Helping you escape," answered a feminine voice with a familiar yet unfamiliar accent.

* * *

**Kyoto, Japan**

"What's going on?" demanded the Japanese man to one of his soldiers.

"I-it seems that a large storm suddenly appeared sir! Earlier it was clear, blue skies but now dark clouds just suddenly appeared. That's all I know!" The sound of lightning cracked and echoed throughout the room. Thunder followed right after the sound of the lightning ceased.

"Go and make sure that all the citizens are secured in their homes. Be prepared for the worst," ordered Kiku.

"Yes sir!" The soldier left to do what he was ordered. Everything was turning upside down for Kiku. First, Viet left and became neutral only to give more confidence to their enemies. Second, after Yao came back from 'visiting' Viet, he was definitely angry only to cause anxiety throughout the family. Third, a storm suddenly appears in the sky, enraged by something and will most likely cause a tsunami meaning that millions of innocent people will die in Japan. Lastly, Kiku was frustrated and could not think straight.

Usually the Japanese man would have a cool head and always had a plan for something but not now. Not when there was so much drama occuring in his family and the war finally taking a toll on his aging body or so that was what he liked to describe it.

Either way it was not good for him to just sit around even though he felt useless, knowing that he couldn't do much, even if he tried to evacuate all the port cities. Much to his dismay, the power for the electrical lights had shut down as well. His world was definitely being turned upside down.

His office phone rang. This phone as well as other appliances throughout the building had its own power source just in case something like this happened.

"Hello?"

"Kiku, it's me, Yao."

"Ah, Yao-san. This is a bad time. I'm trying to evacuate my people from the port cities now and I need my focus on them..." Kiku was cut off by silence. Something was wrong with Yao. He usually has something to say but now... he's quiet. "Yao-san, are you okay?" Kiku asked, hoping to get the Chinese man's attention.

"Don't worry about the clouds Kiku. They aren't meant for you aru."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm just getting enough energy to look for Viet and claim what is rightfully mine and the ruler of the dark. That is all," Yao replied calmly yet with a dark tone in his voice.

"What do you mean rightfully your's and the ruler of the dark?"

"You will see in time Kiku. There is no need to worry aru. I will move the clouds to where I want them to be."

"Yao! Yao, what are you planning? This isn't like you!"

_BEEEEEEEEP-_

Yaohung up leaving a speechless Kiku on the phone. Was this why Nee-chan left? Did she see the change in Yao before all of us did? But why did she leave? Couldn't she have found a way to prevent this? Kiku was confused and even more frustrated. No longer was his world being turned upside down. It was getting destroyed. He no longer understands what is right or wrong. There was a coldness, a darkness, to Yao. He isolated himself. He became a lot more cool-headed. He didn't interfere with their personal lives or even bothered to call to see if he was okay.

Why did he call? So many questions were left unanswered.

* * *

_Omake_

_Me: Sorry to end it short but I'm having writer's block now. That mean's I'll be leaving a lot of cliffhangers and short chapters. I hope you guys don't mind. I'll also be changing how I do my Omake in the future. Not now but in the near future. I'm also sorry for taking a long time to upload. I've been busy with school work and reading other fanfictions. _

_Please review. Leave any comments, questions, or concerns you might have. Thank you~_


	26. Chapter 26

_Disclaimer: I do not own the anime or any of the characters._

_Ayumi Kudou: Well, which country is closest to Germany and has one of the three girls in there? Either way, I think all of them awesome in their own way._

* * *

**Seychelles**

The sea was lifeless as Michelle stepped out onto the beach, staring at the never-ending blue liquid in front of her. There were no squaking of birds or splashes from the fish. There was no wind that would gently move her dress in sync with the wind or the water that usually played as it moved rhythmically with its continuous waves. All was too silent in the world.

"What's going on? Does this have something to do with Viet?" the Seychellois questioned herself. Her eyes were flooded with concern as she watched large storm clouds above the horizon where ominous blue and green lightening stuck.

The sight was odd but was terrifying no matter how you looked at it. Michelle only had to glance at the clouds and knew that they were headed her way. She began to run back to the administration office where she worked, preparing herself for making her people move to a safer part of Africa where she knew that they wouldn't be severely harmed.

Blue skies were above her but the atmosphere was tense... mysterious... Maybe it was something more than all the feelings that she could describe right now. Michelle was not the only one who noticed the signs though.

Everyone on Seychelles saw the gloomy clouds hovering over the sea which was miles away but they sensed that something was terribly wrong. Toddlers clung to their mothers' skirts in fear as they tried to hide themselves away from the scary-looking storm. The mothers began to gather their children in one place to keep an eye on them. Their husbands began gathering the family's important belongings knowing that they were going to have to move while older siblings watched in fear and awe as the streaks of light flashed from afar, causing a large crack to be heard. For now it was a faint sound but everyone could here it.

Michelle bent down and gripped her knees when she stopped in front of her leader's door, out of breath. Sweat appeared on her tanned skin from the heat and anxiousness she was feeling at the moment. Reflections of light glistened on her wet sticky skin but who would really care when life is about to change once more.

She twisted the doorknob and slowly entered into the dark room. Facing her was the back of a large, leathered, rotating armchair. The sound of the door opening gained the attention of the one sitting in the armchair.

"You see what I see out there, correct?" Michelle asked, hoping it wasn't her seeing something wrong with the clouds.

"I do... Get ready to evacuate all the citizens of Seychelles. Make sure that everyone is in line and won't get into any trouble. The storm does not look pretty.

"Hmm." Michelle nodded in response and began calling the differnet administrations across the nation to tell their people to evacuate the country. The move was temporary but it would keep the civilians from getting severely injured. No one could guarantee that they would make it out of the storm without a scratch.

Michelle did her best when trying to evacuate her people but she couldn't help bit notice the unnatural fast pace of the storm clouds heading there way.

Three hours have passes since then. Lightning danced across the sky with the echoing of loud booms and the hard splatter of pouring rain. Blackness filled the air unless the striking electricity flashed. The wind violently rushed passed the palms causing them to break or fly into the everlasting blackness. Other than the plants, there was no life on the island country. Where they disappeared to, no one knew.

Waves crashed against the side of cliffs, forcing loose rocks and boulders to fall and drown into the violent waves. Nothing could be heard by the cacophony of sounds from the pounding of rain on the roofs of the houses or the wind that howled like a wolf except with more pain and agony in its voice or the booming thunder that seized control of all of its surroundings. But if you listened closely, ever so closely would you hear a faint and soft sob of a tanned girl with two ponytails tied by red ribbons.

She had sacrificed herself, allowing the room on the remaining boats to be filled with the innocent lives that needed protection and hope that they would live. She promised her boss that she would be safe and would not die in such a gloomy storm. Even so, pain throbbed in her chest and her lungs felt like they were being squeezed.

The loneliness was not meant for her, she who had always had a bright and cheerful personality that always looked at the bright side of things. She who would not allow anyone to worry about her own personal troubles and instead focused on making her friends happy. She who gained and gave attention when she knew it was needed most. There she sat in the corner of her room with simple bed sheets and a photo of her and her friends on the nightstand. Tears drenched her clothes and hands as she felt lonely.

Was this the way of God for punishing her for not realizing her feelings sooner and starting to regret to push the man that she loved away? This karma, was this the way she would be punished for not pushing herself to help her friend save the world? She cried silently and softly in her room where loneliness and regret lingered in the air.

Whether she knew it or not, an albino man stood somewhere on the island nation smirking at the dark sky. There was also the surprise that several English ships were headed toward the island nation where a man stood hoping to save the love of his life.

"Kesesese! Looks like the old man and the newbie are really letting it start now," commented the albino man to himself. "This is awesome! Well, I guess I shouldn't add any of my awesome oil to the two different raging fires. Let's just watch and enjoy."

* * *

**International Prison in Germany**

"You are...!"

"Not now. We have to get out of here first," explained the feminine voice. Her movements were quick and shocking as she started to raise her spear, getting ready to strike. On instinct, Berwald and Matthias moved back from the railings that imprisoned them but it seemed to them that they escaped from something far worse than a slice from a spear.

Flamed engulfed the spear before the woman could bring it down. She sliced several times against the metal bars then steeped back allowing her work to be shown with pieces of the bars falling onto the ground with a loud _Clank!_ The men were stunned at the speed and power of the woman. The sat there, their mouths wide open.

The could hear running footsteps getting closer to there cell. The woman's head turned toward the sound due to her reflexes. Her golden eyes narrowed, sensing the trouble they would soon be in.

"Hurry and get up if you want to live. We need to get out of here," said the woman which brought the two Nordic men to reality. They cautiously but quickly stepped out of the prison cell and faced the woman. They were suspicious as the watched her search the room for an escape. "It looks like we're just going to have to charge," she muttered to herself. She then turned her head to face the two men. The dim light of the moonlight appeared on her face only to make the blondes gasp in shock.

The girl they met in Egypt and the picture they saw of one of the Asian commanders stood in front of them as the same person. Viet's eyes softened as she saw the disbelief reflecting in there eyes. She knew she had to answer questions but now was not the time if they wanted to make it our of there alive with the least amount of energy possible. She quickly turned towards a door where she came out from. Viet turned her head for one eye to look at the other two pairs staring at her back.

"If you value your life and want to see your friends again, live and follow me. I will answer questions later when the coast is clear but as of now, we need to go." It sounded more like an order and a threat rather than an option to choose from. Reluctantly, the men nodded their heads, hopping to trust the woman for just that moment so that they would no longer have to suffer through the hell of not know and not understanding.

They ran through the corridors of stoned floors, walls, and ceilings. The smell of decaying flesh and sweat was strong and hard to ignore but the trio kept on going without holding energy back despite the disgusting scent.

Soldiers lined in front of a large wooden door. Seeing it as a way to get out of the prison, Viet, Matthias, and Berwald rammed their ways through the sea of people until they pushed their way to the door. The door was forced open as the trio slammed into the door with as much force as they could muster. Hunger and energy began to take a toll on Matthias' and Berwald's bodies.

Viet could see this but they could not stop yet. There was the next obstacle to pass before they could give out. Metal gates stood in silence as Viet and the others stared at it. Unknowing to the two men, Viet positioned herself between them. In one swift movement, she grabbed their arms and a light flashed through her eyes. Flames surrounded them only to cause the two men to black out.

* * *

Eyes fluttered open as Matthias felt a throbbing pain in his head. He groaned as his conscious allowed him to be aware of the dizziness and numbness he felt throughout his body. His blue orbs were blinded by a light above him. After a minute or so, his eyes adjusted to the brightness and he slowly lifted himself up to sit up right. He looked around to find himself in a familiar room. The green blanket and white pillows and cream bed sheets was too familiar for him to forget but with the state he was in now, he could not remember where this place was.

Matthias looked in front of him to see another bed with a sleeping figure under the covers. Eyeglasses were left on the nightstand and the man's face seemed peaceful and not as scrunched up when he was awake. Matthias recognized him as Berwald. He rubbed his eyes but then noticed that he was wearing pajamas. It was the set that he bought for himself and left at Lukas' house whenever he needed a place to sleep in Norway but...

Wait... Norway... Lukas.. Pajamas... Familiar... Room...

It then clicked. Matthias looked to his left then his right then his left again in realization that he was in one of the guest bedrooms that he usually slept in when he was with Lukas. Why was he here? He then tried to recall what had happened to him the night before or at least he thought it was a night before. How long was he asleep?

Due to his dizziness, Matthias could not help but become frustrated as his memories were all a blur. "Argh. What happened? Why am I in Lukas' place?" the Dane asked himself. The doorknob then rattled, catching Matthias' attention. It turned and the person that appeared into the room gave Matthias a sense of surprise and happiness.

"Tino!" the Dane cried happily as he glomped his Finnish friend.

"Matthias! You're awake! How do you feel?" asked the Fin while Matthias hugged him.

"I feel dizzy, confused, frustrated, soar and now happy that I get to see a friendly familiar face again," Matthias answered. Tino chuckled.

"Let's not wake Berwald, Matthias. The both of you had a long night." The last sentence made Matthias snap his head back and stare Tino in the eyes only to cause the smaller European to feel awkward and nervous.

"What happened last night Tino? I don't remember anything," Matthias said.

"W-well... About that..." _Viet was right about the side effects of transporting people who are not used to it. They forget what happened right before they transported. They will regain their memories throughout the day but... _

A groan came from the other bed and Tino turned his head, excited that the Swede was also okay.

"Where am I?" asked the deep voice coming from the largest man of the Nordics. He rubbed his eyes sleepily. Matthias also perked up from the sound of the voice.

"Berwald! You're alive!" The Swede half consciously punched Matthias in the face to stop him from hugging him. Berwald glared at Matthias with somewhat blinded eyes since Berwald was near-sighted. Tino laughed at the situation, feeling nostalgia as he replayed this scene with different settings and scenarios that happened throughout the time he knew Berwald and Matthias.

"It's good to see that you are okay, Berwald. How are you doing this morning?" Tino asked with a smile. Berwald slightly blushed but pushed that matter aside.

"I'm well," replied the Swede.

"Well, let's go downstairs. Lukas and I have some explaining to do since we somehow managed to get the both of you out of prison last night- Ahh!" Matthias gripped his hands on Tino's shoulders and shook him violently.

"That's right! What happened last night Tino?" Matthias was punched in the face again but this time by what seemed like an invisible force.

"It seems that the both of you are awake seeing how everyone up here is being loud," commented a monotonous voice. Matthias lifted his head slightly while rubbing his right cheek where he was being punched the most that morning.

"It's nice to see you too Lukas," greeted Berwald. Lukas nodded his head in reply.

"Don't send your troll on my Lukas!" complained Matthias. The Norwegian shook his head, not agreeing with the Dane's request.

"If it's to shut you up Matthias, then no." Matthias stared at the Norwegian this time with puppy-dog eyes but no emotion stirred in the heart of Lukas. Matthias soon found himself sitting in a corner alone, acting depressed.

Lukas began walking out the door but then stated, "You better get your lazy butt off the floor Matthias, if you want to have breakfast. I have biscuits baking right now." The mention of Lukas' homemade, buttery biscuits fluttered Matthias heart and soon the Dane followed the group downstairs for breakfast.

They had set up the table for five (apparently Matthias and Berwald still believe that Emil is with them). They sat around the table but a silence also sat with them in the room, making the atmosphere awkward and tense.

After several minutes of unusual silence, Lukas spoke. "We know that the both of you are not responsible for whatever accusation the rest of Europe says. That is why we found a way to break you guys out."

"But doesn't that mean if the administration finds out, won't you also get in trouble?" Matthias immediately asked after Lukas finished his sentence.

"We are willing to risk it Matthias. We don't have power to go up against so many people who believe that you are criminals when we know that you are no such thing. We have to do what we know is right and so we were able to get the both of you out," explained Tino.

"Even though you say that, we don't remember seeing you two rescuing us last night." Berwald said, leaving out the fact that they were saved by someone he knew was an enemy or (as we all know) so he thought.

"That is because we planned the attack. The one who executed the plan is someone we can trust," Lukas said. His voice much more serious than what the two anticipated. His tone sounded like he would threaten to kill them if they didn't believe in what he said. But it was hard to do so when both Matthias and Berwald couldn't believe that the one involved with this plan was _her._

"Lukas, could it be that this person you are referring to is-" Berwald was cut off when he heard a pair of feet shuffling its way to the kitchen.

"Good mornin'," greeted a sleepy, feminine voice. Berwald and Matthias looked up only to have their eyes widened to who they saw in front of them.

Viet had her hair down and was wearing a long sleeve, blue shirt and grey sweatpants. She was rubbing her eyes sleepily as she stood in the doorway with the four men staring at her. Her breasts stood out as the blue shirt was stretched at her chest area, indicating that it was a little tight on her. The shirt belonged to Emil and seeing how both are around the same height and had a small body, Lukas allowed Viet to borrow some of Emil's clothes. All four men were slightly blushing.

Berwald turned his head away as did Tino who was twiddling his thumbs. Lukas moved his gaze to her face and gave a sigh of relief seeing how she didn't noticed them staring at her in a perverted way. Matthias on the other hand shook his hand and suddenly slammed his fist against the table and quickly stood up.

The Dane took in a deep breath and once he was about to loudly explain his thoughts, Viet's fist landed against his left cheek.

"It looked like you were going to be noisy so I punched you," she explained still not really noticing her surroundings. She sat down in the last empty chair, oblivious to the stares and was still acting our of character.

"She punched him in the left cheek this time," was all Tino said but was not really paid any heed to. Berwald regained his composure and stared into Viet's eyes.

"So are you the one who helped us escape?" asked the Swede. Viet nodded lazily as she stared back at him, ignoring his intimidating look.

"Can you explain to them Lukas? I'm still tired from last night." The Vietnamese woman yawned. Matthias managed to sit back into his chair while rubbing his left cheek and glaring at Viet.

"I understand. Leave it to me Viet," Lukas agreed. Matthias would have gaped at the Norwegian if it wasn't for his pain in both his cheeks. Did Lukas willingly comply to a female's request, especially the kind of female who is good at so many things but is lazy to do it which usually pisses off the Norwegian. "As you both should know, Viet is the representative of Vietnam as well as responsible for making Vietnam a neutral country in the war. But that's not where we should begin."

Flapping was heard inside the house and Matthias and Berwald turned their heads to where the source of the noise was coming from. Haru flew into the kitchen with Hydra on his back who 'jumped' off his back into Lukas' arms and Hydra landed on Viet's shoulder.

"That isss correct. The beginning ssstartsss at the beginning of the creation of the earth." Hydra startled the two men and only left them frozen in place, mouths slightly parted in surprise. The three other humans sweatdropped as they saw the expressions on Berwald's and Matthias' faces._  
_

"This is the most ridiculous reaction I have ever seen," Viet commented. Haru only nodded in agreement, Tino chuckled nervously at the human statues and Lukas and Hydra sighed at the hopeless people in front of him.

* * *

_Omake_

_Take 1! Action!_

_Flapping was heard inside the house and Matthias and Berwald turned their heads to where the source of the noise was coming from. Haru flew into the kitchen and circled a few times before Hydra landed into Lukas' arm._

_A white goo splattered on Matthias' head before Haru landed on Viet's shoulder. Viet slowly scooted out of her seat before she was being chased by an angry Dane._


	27. ANOUNCEMENT!

I'm really sorry everyone! I haven't posted anything lately for _More Than What Meets the Eye_ but I have lost passion for writing it... All the ideas are there but I just don't feel like continuing it at the moment.

I've been busy with other writing projects that I have been doing lately and I'm really into writing them. In other words I will be on hiatus for this fic until I find some inspiration to write again. I was hoping that I wouldn't have to do this but it seems unavoidable.

This fic has been going on for a while and I got bored so I went on to other anime and fics, that being Kuroko no Baske. It's a sports anime that has to do with basketball.

Not only that but I have a lot of homework that I have to prioritize right now. That includes a lot of essays and a children's book that I have to write. No, the children's book is only for school. As if I want to publish a book about the measurement of moles for chemistry and explaining how one mole equals to 6.02 x 10^23.

Well, wish me luck with school and hope that I get back to this fic as soon as I can.

Thank you for supporting me though. I am open for requests though for one shots which I will happily write because it wouldn't have a long storyline.

Again I am sorry and I would like to thank my readers for keeping up with me so far but I will have to be on hiatus until I regain some passion for the fic.


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